According to the Miami Herald, experts believe Florida may be entering a “new wave” of addiction that hasn’t been seen in nearly 30 years. Now, instead of cocaine, lethal combinations of opiates and narcotics are killing people and holding them tightly in the grips of addiction.
In the past, heroin users stuck to heroin and cocaine users stuck with their drug of choice. The increase in deaths is believed to be due in part to a new trend of combining these types of substances with prescription drugs like Oxycodone.
The trend could be due to a struggling economy and people supplementing their drug habits with cheaper additives. 91 % of Broward County drug deaths in 2009 had more than one type of drug in their system at the time of death—most often cocaine and an opiate.
States across the board are seeing these trends; they aren’t unique to Florida. In particular it seems prescription drug use and heroin use are on the rise. Heroin in particular has always been considered a relatively cheap drug and one that can be easily scored in times of short money.
The Herald does mention that cocaine related deaths were down again for the year, despite the overall rising trend.
People who struggle with addiction often have no desire to quit until they hit a brick wall. This wall can come in the form of an overdose and hospitalization or even an arrest. These types of crises sometimes push people to recognize their problem in a light they hadn’t previously seen it in.
If criminal charges are the catalyst to recovery, it is certainly a blessing in disguise. Facing jail time never sounds like a good idea, particularly if you are going through withdrawals. Sometimes, however, drastic times call for drastic measures.
Luckily, there are several counties in Florida that have specialized drug courts. These courts hear only drug cases and have the resources to help people who may be facing charges due to an addiction. Within these courts your addiction is more likely to be addressed.
Whether you are facing possession charges or more serious distribution charges, contact our attorneys to discuss the potential of having your case heard in drug court and what that might mean to you.