Gov. DeSantis signs bills to combat opioid crisis, protect from fentanyl exposure

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The battle against fentanyl and drug abuse can seem never-ending. This week, Governor Ron DeSantis is making another attempt to tackle the opioid crisis by signing new legislation aimed at protecting first responders from fentanyl exposure. But that’s just a piece of the puzzle.

“Because of the Biden administration’s unwillingness to secure the southern border, law enforcement officers are encountering fentanyl at alarming rates,” DeSantis said in a press conference Monday. “I wish there was just a switch we could turn on and never have to deal with this again. But the reality is you have to approach this from a variety of different ways.”

Florida is slowly seeing a decline in overdose deaths. Data shows a 9% decrease, or roughly 560 fewer deaths, from September 2022 to September 2023 compared to years prior.