The Opiate Crisis - Tampa Florida
Harrison Cowan, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Manager of Operations says that the opiate crisis is “worsening” as people with substance use issues are mixing heroin and fentanyl “to the point that they’re dying almost instantly”.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office says that people with drug and alcohol problems go so far as to steal to get money for opiates, with one drug ring stealing $2.4 million in tools from four local Home Depots alone, “they are using the stolen items to get the drugs they need”.
Cocaine in Tampa Bay
Cocaine is so plentiful in Florida that it is even washing up on Florida beaches.
The Drug Enforcement Administration says that the rise in cocaine use can be attributed to increases in availability and that the presence of fentanyl contaminated cocaine is also rising.
“Fentanyl/cocaine mixtures often target a user-base that is typically unaware that it is consuming fentanyl and thus more likely to have an adverse reaction than one who intentionally sought out the opioid”.
Drug users are so unaware of the risk they are taking using cocaine that when they do seek out drug treatment in Tampa, they might even be shocked that their drug test comes back positive for an opiate.
Families Affected in Hillsborough County
Child Protective Investigators in Hillsborough County Florida say that “it’s an easy decision to remove children when there is clear evidence of domestic violence, heroin, or cocaine use in the home.” Hillsborough removes more children from their homes, than any other county in Florida.
This often leaves family members taking the children in unexpectedly and at the same time desperately searching for a drug and alcohol treatment program in Tampa that their loved one can enter as soon as possible.
Drug and Alcohol Treatment - A Community Approach in Tampa Florida
Stem, a drug counselor who presented at an opiate education event at the University of South Florida in Tampa, said it perfectly, “It takes a family, it takes a village, to succeed and stay clean and sober.”
For many people they don’t know what to do or where to go for help with a drug or alcohol problem. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone. Talking to a drug counselor in Tampa, Florida can help.
What if my Loved One Refuses to Get Help?
Even if your loved one isn’t ready to get help for themselves, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have options. Talking to a drug and alcohol counselor that specializes in addiction issues can help you figure out a plan on what to do.
Talking to a counselor yourself can help give you the support you need. And many people find going to an Al-Anon Meeting in Tampa or a Nar-Anon Meeting in Tampa helpful as well. You need all the support you can get to fight this terrible disease. If you have any questions, please reach out for a free 20-minute consultation.
Learn how I can help
Helping You Help Your Loved One with Addiction
Loving Someone with an Addiction is Hard
Help for Anxiety, Depression, & Trauma