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Drug Trends and Statistics in Palm Beach County Florida

Drug Trends and Statistics in Palm Beach County Florida

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Demographics of Palm Beach County

More than 1,330,000 people live in Palm Beach County, Florida, and 76 percent of the population is 21 years or older. The diverse population is made up of Caucasian (59 percent), Hispanic or Latino (19.5 percent), Black (17 percent), and Asian (2.4 percent) individuals, and 1.9 percent belong to other ethnic groups.

An Everyday Problem

There is a hidden fact among these people: thousands of Palm Beach County residents currently use drugs or have used them in the past 30 days. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates there are nearly 60,000 individuals using marijuana across the county and approximately 33,000 using other illicit drugs.

Finding the Sources

The state of Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Medical Examiners Commission, Department of Children and Families, Agency for Health Care Administration, Department of Health, and Poison Information Center provided data from surveys, autopsies, drug treatment admissions, and more. This is in addition to information provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, US Census Bureau, and US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

The Downside of Being Coastal

Florida’s prevalent drug problem can be attributed to the state’s harbors, which are easy access points for gangs from other countries to deliver large quantities of drugs. Because there are so many harbors, enforcement agencies struggle to locate the shipments before they are delivered to the consumer market and further distributed across the state.

Digging Deeper

The different types of drug abuse and usage rates offer varied social and economic implications for the area. In this report, we’ll examine information about drugs including opiates, synthetic cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and more.

Opioids: Heroin and Nonmedical Prescription Use

Opioids are some of the most widespread and most commonly abused drugs in the nation. This is mainly due to an increase in availability in the past few decades. As these numbers climbed, states sought legislation to make misuse and redistribution more difficult.

These changes, such as tamper-resistant reformulation of prescription drugs, did reflect a noticeable decline in opioid deaths early in 2011. Unfortunately, these efforts were not enough. In fact, heroin deaths increased sharply after this apparent drop. From 2012 to 2014, there was a rise of more than 400 percent.

Palm Beach County saw a 67 percent rise in opioid use from 2011 to 2013, and these numbers are expected to climb even further. This increase stems from the startling availability of prescription painkillers, which can easily fuel a cycle of the pills and heroin, a cheaper alternative to prescription opioids.

Opioids in Deceased and Hospitalized Individuals

Using autopsy and toxicology reports, the Florida Medical Examiners Commission created a top five opioid list of drugs with the highest occurrence rates:

  • Morphine
  • Oxycodone
  • Hydrocodone
  • Methadone
  • Fentanyl

Each year, toxicology reports from more than 5,000 deceased individuals in Florida indicate elevated levels of opioids in the system.

In the first half of 2014, there were 144 drug occurrences involving the top five opioids in Palm Beach County. These reports include cases where the drug was present at the time of death (still in the system and still affecting the body), in addition to circumstances where the drug was named the actual cause of death.

During 2013, the most current reporting year, approximately 6,000 hospitalizations related to opioid overdoses were reported. An astonishing 88 percent of those patients were considered legally prescribed users of their medications and did not have a diagnosis of opioid dependency. In Palm Beach County, there were 321 hospital admissions for the year, with 87 percent not admitted as opioid dependents.

A Rising Trend: Synthetic Cathinones

Drugs like heroin and cocaine have posed problems for years, but the most alarming and dramatic trends involve second-generation cathinone, or alpha-PVP, also known by its street names, “Flakka” and “gravel.”

Cathinones are designed to mimic natural stimulants found in the African and Middle Eastern Khat plant. However, the synthetic drugs are much more potent and dangerous than the original compound. Most people recognize the first generation of cathinones known as “bath salts,” thanks to a nationwide scare and strict banning.

Excited Delirium and Synthetic Cathinones

Excited delirium is very common among Flakka users. This symptom is a result of hyperthermia, or dangerously high body temperature, and breakdown of muscle tissue. This rapid degeneration releases muscle fibers into the blood, which is known as rhabdomyolysis. It can also cause kidney failure.

Excited delirium triggers violent behavior. These paranoid users often seem to have super-human strength, thanks to an inability to feel pain, and are fueled by an illusion of being chased by imaginary animals, police, people, or monsters. This condition can easily end in death. Synthetic cathinone was attributed to 132 deaths in the state of Florida in 2013.

“Molly” is another form of synthetic cathinone. These capsules are made of either ethylene or Methylone. Despite their popularity in some songs and pop culture, statewide Molly usage has declined drastically from 2010. The crime lab cases fell from 1,352 to 150 in four years.

Synthetic Cannabinoids

Synthetic cannabinoids are substances designed to offer effects similar to marijuana, but more potent. For years, it was alarmingly easy to procure synthetic cannabinoids. Until the second half of 2011, they were available through retail sale in thousands of gas stations and smoke shops across the nation. The drugs quickly gained popularity because they could not be detected on standard drug tests.

Today, however, usage has fallen significantly. Current drug tests can read synthetic cannabinoids, which helps ensure employees are not using. State legislature has also banned the drugs.

By 2014, there were only two synthetic cannabinoid deaths in Florida during the first six months. This is an improvement considering there were 26 such occurrences in 2013. However, crime lab reports have increased sharply. This suggests users are taking smaller doses because the substances are so difficult to acquire. It’s a dilemma for drug prevention teams since the usage seems more widespread but less deadly.

Palm Beach County Methamphetamines and Amphetamines

Numbers show a steady increase in the use of methamphetamines and amphetamines. However, these numbers are still low in relation to other illicit substances such as heroin and cocaine. During 2014, there were only 12 reports of individuals admitted to drug treatment facilities in Palm Beach County with methamphetamine as their primary drug.

Drug Production and Trafficking

Experts suspect that most methamphetamine used in Florida is produced in Mexico, then transported into the country and across state lines. However, there are still domestic clandestine laboratories in the north and central parts of the state. Many of these individuals use 2-liter bottles and traditional cooking methods to make minuscule portions for personal use.

Methamphetamine Statistics

For the first half of 2014, there were 109 cases of methamphetamine detection in deceased individuals across Florida. There were only 169 for the entire year of 2013, suggesting an unfortunate spike in the drug’s use. Methamphetamine was considered the cause of death in 37 percent of those first cases from 2014 and many others throughout the rest of the year.

In the same year, there were 12 methamphetamine-based treatment admissions in Palm Beach County. Forty-two percent of patients were male, and two were under the age of 18. Seventy-five percent of clients reported that injecting was their primary route of administration of the drug.

Methamphetamine Crime Reports

Methamphetamines accounted for only 1.4 percent of the total crime lab reports for Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Broward counties. However, the number of these reports has increased significantly in recent years. In 2013, there were only 60 reports. By 2014, there were 306. This reflects a staggering 410 percent increase in only one year.

The Popular Trend: Vaping Illicit Drugs

Vaping is one of the most popular new trends today. It refers to the inhalation of vapors made by electronic devices. These are sometimes shaped like cigarettes, although they have taken on various forms in recent years.

The problem arises when people begin using the vaping devices for substances other than what they were intended. Originally, only flavored liquid with nicotine was used. Now, illicit drugs like marijuana, Flakka, methamphetamine, and liquefied pharmaceuticals are being used in vaporizers. It is unclear just how widespread this issue is.

A Stable Favorite: Cocaine and Crack

A popular substance used in Florida is cocaine. Whether in its original form or modified to crack cocaine, the drug has been a staple among users for decades. Fortunately, however, usage rates are relatively stable for this drug across the state. From 2013 to 2014 and beyond, there has been very little change in indicators compared to other drugs. This stabilization follows the initial decline from 2007 to 2010. By 2012, the rates of indicators for consequences had leveled off.

However, this isn’t to say that other rates are not changing in Palm Beach County. From 2012 to 2014, the number of cocaine deaths increased by 53 percent. This is shocking, considering the entire state of Florida saw only a 10 percent change. Experts believe that using cocaine in combination with other drugs is largely responsible for this shift.

Palm Beach County Addiction Treatment Admissions

There were approximately 300 treatment admissions related to cocaine in Palm Beach County during 2014. Of these, 184 were related to crack cocaine, and 111 dealt with powder cocaine. Together they accounted for 5 percent of the primary treatment admissions for the county. The majority of the admissions were females (57 percent) who were 35 or older (56 percent).

Marijuana is the third most common primary substance among addiction treatment cases in Palm Beach County. It ranks just after alcohol and prescription opioids, thanks to high availability and less social stigma. The consequences of usage, however, continue at high rates. This applies in particular for adolescents and young adults.

In the first half of 2014, there were 492 cases of cannabinoids being detected in deaths. This is a 23 percent jump from the previous year, which recorded only 401 occurrences in the same time frame. It is important to note that detection in autopsies does not mean causation, as marijuana is not capable of killing users on its own.

Palm Beach County saw more than 1,100 marijuana admissions in treatment facilities during the year 2014. These equal a surprising 19 percent of total admissions, ranking far higher than other substances like cocaine and methamphetamines. Of those treatment admissions, 69 percent were male and 58 percent were younger than 18.

Hope for a Future

Despite the unfortunate numbers of drug users, especially among youth, there is still hope. Many of the most powerful drugs have fallen in popularity and usage in the past decade. Information and prevention programs help teach children the risks associated with drugs and alcohol early on, which contribute to reducing the likelihood of drug use.

The presence of treatment facilities is another beacon of hope. While prevention is often favored, it’s never too late for substance abusers to get the help they need to regain control of their future. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. It could be a life-saving action.

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