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The federal government has given states millions to address the opioid crisis. Each awarded state can independently decide how it uses the funds to better its community. Let’s take a look at the Florida opioid settlement, as a state advisory committee there recently announced its plan for opioid crisis funding.
The Opioid Crisis: An Overview
The opioid crisis (or opioid epidemic) has plagued the United States for many years and is still considered an ongoing problem. It began in the mid-1990s when the Purdue Pharma company created the powerfully addictive drug OxyContin. The company heavily promoted the drug and told doctors it was an excellent solution for pain management without the risk of addiction. This was, of course, incredibly misleading, as OxyContin is a highly addictive drug. Overconsumption and addiction to OxyContin ran rampant throughout the country and led to what’s commonly referred to now as the first wave of deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found prescription opioid sales quadrupled from 1999 to 2010. At the same time, the rate of opioid-related overdose deaths doubled from 2.9 to 6.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
Around 2010, a new problem with opioids arose. The price of heroin began to drop, and people who were addicted to prescription opioids turned to heroin. From 2010 to 2016, heroin-involved deaths rose from 1 per 100,000 to 4.9 per 100,000. By 2015, more opioid deaths were related to heroin rather than prescription drugs. This became known as the second wave of the opioid crisis.
A Look at Florida’s History With Opioids
Florida hasn’t escaped the opioid epidemic and has been one of the states hit hard by this tragic situation. The state’s opioid overdose rate has tripled since 2000, with no slowdown in recent years. From 2014 to 2016, the unintentional and undetermined drug overdose deaths more than doubled.
The state has tried to implement a strong opioid epidemic response, including passing two laws to combat the battle against opioid misuse. Florida passed the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program in 2009 and in 2017 passed a bill that required reporting of all controlled substance overdoses.
In 2016, the CDC established a grant program called the Enhanced State Surveillance of Opioid-Involved Morbidity and Mortality Program. Florida received a grant from this program to develop surveillance systems that could help monitor and address the rising cases of opioid fatalities.
An epidemic of this size can rarely be traced back to a single root cause. Many factors contributed to the massive spread of the prescription opioid crisis, but one party held a clear, complicit role in deceiving patients and doctors. Pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma ran an intense, convincing campaign that downplayed the addictive nature of OxyContin. A clear relationship exists between Purdue’s campaigns and the increase in opioid usage across the country.
The American government decided to bring some key players to justice, with years of lawsuits and fines brought against the company:
- In 2007, Purdue Pharma was fined almost $635 million for misleading the public about its medications.
- In 2020, Purdue settled for $8.3 billion in thousands of lawsuits brought by state and municipal governments across the United States. Additionally, the Sackler family, which owned Purdue, had to pay $3 billion and give up control of the family business.
- In 2021, the consulting firm McKinsey & Company settled with 49 states for almost $600 million for its role in advising Purdue on increasing sales.
Florida’s Plans for Its Opioid Settlement
Palm Beach County in Florida has been told it stands to receive $148 million over 20 years from opioid lawsuit settlements. The county formed a special committee to determine the best funds allocation. The committee includes many individuals who are close to the opioid epidemic in one way or another, and many members have had a loved one pass due to an addiction.
The committee spent 2 years (2020-2022) creating the plan and presented its final plan to the public for approval:
- Housing, recovery support, job training, youth assistance and prevention programs receive 90% of the money. These have been grouped as “social determinants of health” initiatives.
- The remaining 10% of the money is earmarked for the acute care system. The committee made a point of calling out the shortcomings of the acute care system as it stands today. Many committee members’ loved ones were permitted to go back on the street without adequate care, which led to further relapses. It’s hoped the increased funding can improve the system to care for individuals until they’re fully ready to be released.
Criticisms Surrounding Fund Distribution
Other parties have criticized the proposed plan. The main criticism is the funding needs to be allocated to additional areas (such as crisis response and call centers) and should be broken down to outline the specific budget each region gets. These objections may delay the plan’s approval and movement into the next stage.
Future Plans and Outlook for Florida’s Battle Against Opioids
The opioid settlements across the country can have a significant impact on undoing some of the damage this drug epidemic has caused for decades. Sadly, the money can’t bring back those who’ve been lost, and it can’t undo the damage and pain this crisis has caused many families.
At the committee meeting, one mother whose son is battling addiction made a point to say, “I guess I could stick my head in an ivory tower and tell people everything is okay, but it’s not. Be mindful of the settlement funds. They’re really not just settlement funds. They were born out of blood.”
With proper planning, these funds can save lives and help those who are currently in the throes of an addiction. Hopefully, the right resources can help turn this epidemic around after several decades.
Addiction Recovery at FHE Health
If you or someone you know struggles with an addiction, help is available. FHE Health is an addiction and mental health recovery center that offers personalized treatment options to match each patient’s unique needs. Contact us today to find out how we can help you get on the road to recovery.
