Drug abuse statistics in Florida show that substance use remains a serious public health concern across the state. There is some good news, though. Since peaking in 2021, overdose deaths in the state have been dropping gradually.
- All overdose deaths dropped nearly 24% from 2023 to 2024
- Cocaine- and meth-involved overdoses are declining more slowly than fentanyl overdoses
- Non-fatal overdose emergency visits ticked back up in 20251
Table Of Contents
Does Florida have a drug problem?
Yes, but it's more complicated.
The good
The number of overdose deaths dropped quickly in 2024, but researchers don't have one clear reason as to why that's the case.2 Fewer people are being prescribed opioid pain relievers, and the supply of fentanyl is not spreading as rapidly as it was when the opioid epidemic was reaching its height. Changing attitudes in drug use and the availability of opioid overdose reversal medication (like Narcan) may also be contributing to the drop.
The concerning
It's clear that Florida continues to face a significant substance use problem. More than 10,000 Floridians died of an overdose in 2024. And, troublingly, non-fatal overdose visits to emergency departments started rising in the first half of 2025, according to early data.
The numbers3
- Total drug overdose deaths in Florida (2024): 10,239 in 2024 (Down from 14,770 in 2023)
- Total opioid-related deaths in Florida (2024): 5,378 in 2024 (Down from 7,325 in 2023)
- Total fentanyl- and fentanyl analogue-related deaths in Florida (2024): 3,696 (Down from 5,546 in 2023)
- Total cocaine-related deaths in Florida (2024): 2,951 (Down from 3,565 in 2023)
- Total methamphetamine-related deaths in Florida (2024): 2,129 (Down from 2,628 in 2023)
Even as prevention efforts and more people become educated about the importance of drug rehab in Florida, there are real concerns. Among the most significant: Overdoses involving stimulants like meth and cocaine (which were involved in the most drug deaths before fentanyl became widespread) are not dropping as rapidly as those involving opioids.
Regional drug trends across Florida
Substance use patterns vary widely across Florida. Some rural regions are just as affected as dense urban areas. Access to care, whether it's inpatient or outpatient rehab, is important in reducing the number of people struggling with active drug use.
All trends below are for 2023; data at the time of writing was not available for a full year since. These trends are based on the rate by county population—some low population areas will have similar overdose rates as high population areas, even though the total count is lower.
Northwest/Emerald Coast
Panama City Beach, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola
Overdose rates remained high for many counties in the region. Some counties, though, reported steep declines, while others reported a sharp increase.
Panhandle
Tallahassee, Gadsden County, Liberty County
All counties in the region, especially around the Tallahassee area, showed sharp spikes in overdose deaths.
First Coast (Jacksonville/St. Augustine)
Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Duval County, Flagler County
Both urban areas in the region, Jacksonville and St. Augustine, reported major declines in overdose deaths. Surrounding counties in the regions reported moderate increases or declines.
North Central Florida
Ocala, Gainesville, Lake City, Live Oak
Rates of overdose rose sharply across the mostly rural region, with only Columbia County (Lake City) showing a moderate decline.
Nature Coast
Big Bend Area, Perry, Levy County, Dixie County
Overdose deaths rose in Levy, Dixie, Jefferson, Hernando, Wakulla, and Citrus counties, making this region one of the few in the area that saw a spike.
West Central Florida (Tampa Bay area)
Tampa, St. Petersburg, Pasco County
Like other parts of the state, urban areas like St. Pete and Tampa both saw drops.
Central Florida
Orlando, Kissimmee, Polk County, Leesburg
All areas in the region saw drops in overdose deaths. Urban cores like Orlando and Kissimmee saw steep declines.
South Central
Lakeland, Okeechobee, Hendry County, Glades County, Hardee County
The region saw an overall drop in the number of overdose deaths per capita, but rates in Glades and Highlands Counties remained high.
Southwest Florida
Naples, Ft. Myers, Port Charlotte, Sarasota
All counties in the region saw declines in overdose deaths, though not as sharp as some others in the state. Ft. Myers saw the biggest drop in the area.
Space Coast
Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Cocoa Beach, Indian River
Brevard County saw a sharp spike in overdose deaths in 2023, though rates fell in Volusia County.
South Florida
Ft. Pierce, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Florida Keys
All counties in these districts saw drops in overdose deaths in 2023—Miami-Dade County still recorded more than 1,000 total fatalities.
Fentanyl, opioids, and the Florida opioid crisis
One of the most significant drivers of overdose deaths in Florida—and across the United States—has been fentanyl. Fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and other opioids are still involved in a majority of overdose deaths, though they are dropping more quickly than other drugs.
Opioid-related overdose deaths
- Opioid-caused: 2,320
- Opioid-involved: 3,161
- Fentanyl-involved: 2,297
Fentanyl-involved overdoses were at their highest in 2021 after sharply peaking following the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, they've declined moderately until 2024, when Florida saw a sharp decline. Fentanyl analogs (drugs chemically similar to fentanyl) also peaked in 2021, though they quickly dropped in 2022. Other opioids, including heroin and prescription painkillers like oxycodone, have gradually tapered off.
Read more: Fentanyl Recovery Stories
Youth substance use and Florida risk trends
Substance use trends among young people are an important indicator of future addiction risk.
Encouragingly, long-term survey data shows that substance use among Florida youth has declined over the past two decades.
According to the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, substance use rates among Florida students have shown substantial long-term improvement.4
- Past-30-day alcohol use among high school students declined from 31.2% in 2002 to 8.3% in 2025
- Past-30-day marijuana use dropped from 12.1% in 2002 to 4.3% in 2025
- Past-30-day other illicit drug use dropped from 10.1% in 2002 to 3% in 2025
Substance use concerns among Florida youth
Some issues that continue to raise concerns:
- Nicotine vaping (has decreased since 2019, but still remains high)
- Delta-8 THC products
- Any exposure to counterfeit pills containing fentanyl
The survey also notes that substance use prevention campaigns and public health education efforts have contributed to the long-term decline in youth drug use.
Finding help for substance use in Florida
Statistics can help illustrate the scope of substance misuse, but they also represent real people and families in extremely difficult situations.
Substance use disorder is a complex medical condition that can affect anyone, regardless of age, background, or profession. Fortunately, treatment options are available, and recovery is possible with the right support.
At Gulf Breeze Recovery, people struggling with substance use can access a range of treatment programs that support long-term healing, including:
- Medical detox
- Residential treatment
- Partial hospitalization program
- Intensive outpatient program
- Telehealth recovery services
Located on the Gulf Coast, the center provides a supportive environment where clients can focus on rebuilding their lives and developing healthier coping strategies.
Sources and methodology
This article references publicly available data and research from the Florida Community Health Assessment Resource Tool Set (FLHealthCHARTS) and the University of Florida's Florida Drug-Related Outcomes Surveillance & Tracking System (FROST).
When specific substances are mentioned, overdose deaths caused by and with the substance present are included in the count. This may slightly elevate the total count from deaths that are attributed to only one substance. Overdose deaths involving multiple substances are important to include, as polysubstance use raises risks of overdose and overdose deaths.
Sources:
- FLHealthCHARTS, Substance Use Dashboard, Accessed March 2026
- Lancet Regional Health America, Why have overdose deaths decreased? Widespread fentanyl saturation and decreased drug use among key drivers, Accessed March 2026
- UFHealth, Florida drug-related outcomes surveillance and tracking system (FROST), Accessed March 2026
- Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey 2024, Accessed March 2026
