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It is estimated that 14 people die from an opioid drug overdose each and every day in our state, and Tampa Bay is ground zero for this deadly crisis. While Governor Rick Scott has declared a public health emergency and set aside millions of dollars to fight the opioid epidemic, is it enough? How did opioid addiction get so out of hand and what can be done about it?

One in 10 electronic dance music (EDM) party attendees have misused opioids in the past year, exceeding the national average, finds a study by the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU Meyers College of Nursing.

As part of a project funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, this document provides an overview of issues related to marijuana consumption, driving impairment and blood testing as well as the potential impacts of social and legal factors. Comparisons are made to alcohol to provide a point of reference. This
overview focuses on the types of marijuana generally available at legal recreational stores and medical dispensaries and not on pharmaceutical grade preparations. 

TAMPA, Fla.  — Products from cake pops to candy containing a chemical compound called Delta 8 are being sold legally in Florida without a prescription and with the goal of getting people high.

The I-Team has uncovered these products have caused hospitalizations and at least one death, sparking calls in Hillsborough County for better regulation of these products.

“It’s candy with drugs in it sold in your convenience store,” said Ellen Snelling, who chairs the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance.

She recently took packages of candy that looked like popular brands, including Skittles, Nerds and gummy bears.

Hillsborough County has consistently been ranked the worst or near the worst in Florida for DUI crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Given the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of reducing recidivism to promote long-term community safety, the State Attorney’s Office (SAO) has established the Reducing Impaired Driving Recidivism (“RIDR”) initiative.

Statistics:
·         According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more than 1,050 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2016 during the 100 Deadliest Days, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
·         In the Tampa Bay area, when compared to other days of the year, the average number of deaths from crashes involving teen drivers. Ages 16–19, increased by 16 percent during those 100 days. 
·         60 percent of teen crashes are caused by distracted driving
·         The biggest distraction? Other people in the car.
·         Crashes involving alcohol kill one in every 100,000 teens during the summer months.
 
What parents can do:
·        Talk to your teens about the importance of not allowing others to distract them in the car and to be a non-distracting passenger. Remind them that cars have passenger limits based on the number of seats, and to never get into an over-loaded car.
·         Set and enforce reasonably early curfews for teens during the summer months. Sleepy driving can be deadly driving.
·         Agree upon a safe word that your teen can text to you at any time that means “Come pick me up.” Give your teen the option of getting a ride home with mom or dad, no questions asked.
·         Remind them, daily, to not text, SnapChat, Instagram, or WhatsApp and drive.
·         Talk to them, continuously, about the dangers of driving impaired.