JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Drug-related deaths in Florida dropped 14% between 2023 and 2024, with fentanyl deaths plunging by 35%, according to new state data that officials say reflects the success of increased funding and stronger recovery programs.
The decline was even more pronounced in Duval County, where fentanyl-related deaths fell by 43%, from 454 deaths in 2023 to 261 in 2024, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Drug Identified in Deceased Persons Report dashboard.
“The first one is the great influx of funding we’ve received to distribute Narcan,” said Dr. Christine Cauffield, CEO of LSF Health Systems, explaining the factors behind the decline…