Florida Department of Law Enforcement Press Release:

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) released the Florida Medical Examiners Commission Report on Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons. The report contains information compiled from autopsies performed by medical examiners across the state from January through June 2009. During that period there were approximately 88,500 deaths in Florida. Of those, 4,199 individuals were found to have died with one or more of the drugs specified in this report in their bodies.

The report indicates the four most frequently occurring drugs found in decedents were Ethyl Alcohol (1,963), all Benzodiazepines (1,651), Oxycodone (890) and Cocaine (724). The drugs that caused the most deaths were Oxycodone, all Benzodiazepines (with Alprazolam accounting for the majority of the deaths), Methadone, Ethyl Alcohol, Cocaine, and Morphine.

The four drugs where more than 50 percent of the deaths were caused by the drug when the drug was found, were Heroin (86.9 percent), Methadone (73.4 percent), Fentanyl (56.4 percent), and Oxycodone (56.1 percent).

With Heroin continuing to be the most lethal drug named in this report, occurrences increased by 22 percent and deaths caused by Heroin also increased by 20.5 percent over the last half of 2008.

The report also indicates that prescription drugs continued to be found more often than illicit drugs in both lethal and non-lethal levels during the first part of this year. Prescription drugs account for 79 percent of all drug occurrences in this report when Ethyl Alcohol is excluded.

“It is evident in this report that the abuse of prescription drugs continue to be a lethal problem in our state,” said FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey. “FDLE continues to work with our criminal justice partners to prevent the unfortunate and unnecessary deaths caused by these drugs.”

“The medical examiners report continues to document the lethal consequences of the diversion, abuse, and mixing of prescription painkillers and sedatives,” said Director of the Office of Drug Control Bruce Grant. “The implementation of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program is underway, but reducing prescription drug diversion and abuse will require a comprehensive approach and immediate action to shut down the pill mills that are fueling addictions and overdoses.”

Medical Examiners specifically collected information on these drugs: Ethyl Alcohol, Amphetamines, Methamphetamines, MDMA (Ecstasy), MDA, MDEA, Alprazolam, Diazepam, Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), other Benzodiazepines, Cannabinoids (Marijuana), Carisoprodol/Meprobamate, Cocaine, GHB, Inhalants, Ketamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Meperidine, Methadone, Morphine, Oxycodone, Propoxyphene, Tramadol, and Phencyclidine (PCP). Medical Examiners also began tracking Buprenorphine, Oxymorphone, and Zolpidem in January 2009.

The Florida Medical Examiners Commission 2009 Interim Report of Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons is available on the FDLE Web site at www.fdle.state.fl.us

For Further Information Contact:
Heather Smith, Kristen Chernosky, or Mike Morrison
FDLE Office of Public Information
(850) 410-7001

Or

Bruce Grant
Director of the Office of Drug Control
Office of Drug Control
(850) 488-9557