U.S. Senator Ashley Moody visited Palm Beach County to discuss the fight against fentanyl-related deaths and promote the "Halt Fentanyl Act," which aims to permanently list fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. The bill, which has passed the Senate, seeks to impose harsher penalties on distributors of fentanyl. Moody’s efforts are gaining traction, as Florida's fentanyl death rate decreased by 11% in 2023, surpassing the national average reduction of 2%, as reported by WPBF.
Fentanyl, a potent drug implicated in numerous overdose deaths, continues to be a major issue. Moody referred to dealers as poison peddlers and emphasized the need for stricter laws to address the crisis.
Despite the decrease in deaths, Dr. John Dyben, Chief Clinical Officer at the Hanley Foundation, cautioned that more work is needed to combat the problem. He noted that Narcan, an emergency treatment for overdoses, has played a critical role in saving lives. "We're seeing a turn in the right direction that's a small decrease. But until we get to where nobody is dying from this unnecessarily, we're not where we need to be," Dyben said to CBS12.
