As drug trends change, the laws must change as well. Florida has enacted new laws intended to deter certain types of drug abuse that are particularly dangerous for public health. For example, earlier this year, lawmakers passed a new bill that makes it a criminal offense to expose first responders to fentanyl. This new rule comes on the heels of the state adjusting penalties for fentanyl offenses.
Florida lawmakers have enacted rules reducing the amount of weight necessary for more serious charges and rules allowing the state to prosecute people for fentanyl-based crimes when fentanyl is merely a contaminant adulterating another drug. Why has fentanyl and its chemical cousin carfentanil become a focal point in drug enforcement policy?
Stronger drugs cause preventable overdoses
The reason that lawmakers have begun to target carfentanil and fentanyl in particular is the strong association between these substances and fatal overdoses. According to recent nationwide research into overdose deaths, roughly 80% of reported drug fatalities in recent years have involved illegally-manufactured fentanyl or carfentanil distributed to members of the public.
Fentanyl is many times stronger than traditional opiate medications. Carfentanil is even more potent than fentanyl. Doses well under a gram can be enough to prove fatal. Especially in scenarios where people do not realize that the drugs they acquired on the unregulated market contain fentanyl or carfentanil, they might ingest more than they can safely consume.
The tragic reality is that many people who end up hospitalized or dying because of substance abuse disorders do not even realize the items they acquired on the unregulated market contain fentanyl and carfentanil. The ease with which drug traffickers can access these substances has led to their prolific use as adulterants to reduce costs.
Individuals facing prosecution for synthetic opioid medications are often at risk of harsh penalties and aggressive state enforcement. Drug defendants implicated in cases involving fentanyl or carfentanil may face more serious penalties despite possessing relatively low amounts of the substance in question.
Reviewing changing state policies and the circumstances leading to charges can help people avoid the worst-case scenario when facing drug crime allegations. Those accused of possessing or distributing narcotics are at risk of major consequences and having proper support when responding to allegations can help.
