Visitors to Florida Have Highest Risk of Overdose Deaths

A recently released study published in the Injury Prevention journal details a 63% increased likelihood of death by overdose for out-of-state visitors who travel to Florida as compared to those traveling to other states. Published in February of this year, the news arrived just a few weeks before spring break. 

How are local Florida government officials responding to the news? Well, although this headline is recent, the data that led up to it is not. Over the last decade, Florida officials have been astutely aware of the increasing harms drugs have caused both local residents and visitors to the state.

Florida officials at every level of government from city council members and mayors to state legislators and the governor have aimed programs and initiatives at combating the harmful effects of illicit substances and drug use.

But, let’s circle back to spring break; a time of year when a record number of visitors descend on South Florida to party and partake in debauchery. Not unrelated, spring is also a time when Florida sees overdose rates increase.

Brief History of Spring Break in Florida

As the story goes, in 1934, a New York college swimming coach decided to take his team down to South Florida to train in a warmer climate. After enjoying the warm Florida beaches, they decided to start an annual swim meet. Word quickly spread around the college campus about the warm, beautiful Florida beaches.

Then, in 1958, a novel by Glendon Swarthout came out that detailed how a group of students spent their spring break in Fort Lauderdale. A film inspired by the book came out just two years later. From there, the number of spring breakers who visited South Florida grew exponentially. 

While Fort Lauderdale first saw hundreds of thousands of students flood their city, these trends quickly spread to other Florida beach cities. Daytona Beach, Key West, and Miami Beach are just a few of the spring break destinations.

Miami Beach Breaks Up With Spring Break

Although Miami Beach has been a popular spring break destination for decades, this year the city declared it was breaking up with spring break. The announcement came with a list of several steps the city planned to take to discourage the typical rowdy party scene the area is known for.  

A robust marketing campaign used graphics of text message bubbles saying things like, “Hey Spring Break, we’re over.” Potential visitors were warned that the city would be implementing:

• Curfews.
• Beach access point security checkpoints.
• Early closures to beach entrances.
• DUI details.
• Road closures.
• Increased parking rates.
• Arrests for drug possession and violence.
• Significantly enhanced staffing levels for city services, including Miami Beach Police.

The message was loud and clear: Do not come to Miami Beach and expect the spring break of years past. The city wants those days to be over.

Were the Initiatives Effective?

According to Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner, the initiatives the city enacted to crack down on spring breakers were deemed successful. With March now behind the city, “no high profile incidents, shootings, murders, or stampedes” were reported after the new measures were implemented.

Beyond the success of Miami Beach’s spring break break up campaign, Florida also reported a promising trend; the latest annual report released by the Florida Medical Examiner’s Commission found that drug-related deaths across the state declined by 3%. 

While Florida and the rest of the United States still have a long way to go to reduce overdose deaths, there is hope. Naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication, is becoming more widely available after the FDA approved it for over-the-counter sales. And, as more people openly talk about addiction and recognize it as a disease, awareness about treatment grows.  

If you or someone you love is struggling with drug use or addiction, please reach out for help. Recovery First Treatment Center, a drug and alcohol rehab facility near Miami, provides effective evidence-based addiction treatment. Call to speak with a compassionate admissions navigator now.