MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Florida Attorney General (AG) Ashley Moody held a news conference in Ocala Thursday afternoon to talk about what state and local officials are doing to combat the drug crisis in the state.
Moody has launched a campaign called “Dose of Reality: Prevent Prescription Painkiller Misuse in Florida.”
Moody was joined by Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken, Marion County Fire Chief James Banta, and City of Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano to showcase resources available to the community to battle prescription painkiller abuse.
Moody also announced that law enforcement officials in Marion County can now easily access Narcan which is an over-the-counter nasal spray used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose. Moody says law enforcement can now get supplies from participating Walmart stores as a part of the Helping Heroes campaign.
How bad is the problem?
Moody said in 2022, law enforcement agencies confiscated enough fentanyl in just a few months to kill everyone in Florida.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, nearly 280,000 people died in the United States from overdoses involving prescription opioids from 1999 to 2021.
Locally, Sheriff Woods says in the last three years, 221 deaths in Marion County have stemmed from drug overdoses. Just this year, 11 people have died, said Woods.
He says that in the last year, Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR) crews have transported 1,400 individuals for overdose.
“The amount of fentanyl that it takes to kill you can fit on the end of a #2 pencil sharpener, that’s all it takes,” said Woods. “We are never going to arrest our way out of this, and we can’t. It’s not a law enforcement issue. It’s a society issue.”
Woods said fentanyl also puts his deputies and K-9s at risk from exposure to the drug.
Border Crisis
Collectively, the group highlighted the importance of securing the country’s southern border to stop illegal drugs from entering the country.
FDLE Commissioner Glass shared that he along with Moody and other authorities were disturbed by what they saw when they took a trip to the Texas-Mexico border.
“We looked out and we saw the factory that makes fentanyl pills, and that is done by the cartel. You can see it. It’s right there, and they load it up and they move it across all the different borders. And all that comes here (to the U.S.). It comes to Florida,” shared Glass.
He added that illegal immigration and smuggling is at an all-time high and says anyone who argues differently is not paying attention.
Overcoming Addiction
While the war on drugs continues, Moody said the amount of people seeking help to overcome addiction has increased. She added that they’re bringing in more than $3 billion over the next 18 years in funds from a historic settlement with prescription drug manufacturers to support prevention, treatment and recovery programs statewide.
Mayor Marciano shared his own story of how seeking help changed the trajectory of his life. Marciano recounted how his drug abuse landed him in a hospital on a ventilator to keep him alive.
“The doctor said I was lucky to pull through it. In fact, they told my parents to plan my funeral,” recalled Marciano. “I remember seeing a white light that day, walking towards it and people screaming my name, ‘Don’t leave Ben, don’t leave.’ Miraculously, I woke up. I thought I was gone for seconds. I was gone for days.”
Marciano admitted that he moved around a lot trying to run from his disease. He said he hit rock bottom while living in Miami. He says he contemplated ending his life as he took a swig of vodka. He says he was on his balcony as he prayed and asked for a sign.
Marciano says moments later he received a call from his mother whom he hadn’t spoken to in months. He says his mother told him a drug treatment center in Ocala had one bed available. Marciano says his mother asked him, “Will you take the help?”
That he says was the motivation he needed to start his life over and he called it the best decision he’s ever made.
“I learned how to live a life of recovery, which I never thought was possible for me,” recounted Marciano. “Today, I have a life beyond my wildest dreams. I have an amazing marriage to a beautiful wife over 17 years, three beautiful kids, a great business, and I’m the mayor of the best city in the country.”
|NEED HELP: Getting help to overcome drug addiction: Unique approach in Ocala puts all services in one place
That addiction recovery center where Marciano got help is now SMA Healthcare. Robin Lanier is the Vice President there. She shared ways the company is providing care. It’s not a one-size fits all approach. There are even virtual options available.
“We need you now to take advantage of that and seek the help that you need. We are proud of Florida’s efforts. We are seeing a light,” shared Moody.
If you are need of help and are looking for a treatment center, click here.
“There is a way out, if you or anyone you know is struggling with drug addiction, you can be freed from this horrible disease also,” said Marciano.