• A new bill proposal filed by Rep. Jervonte Edmonds would require Florida colleges and universities to carry opioid overdose treatment drugs
• The bill references opioid “antagonists,” which include naloxone, hydrochloride, or any similarly acting drug that blocks the effects of a lethal dose of opioids
• Members of the Florida College System would be required to store the emergency opioid antagonists in a clearly marked location that is easily accessible
• The bill also states that universities must provide training in the administration of opioid antagonists to at least one resident assistant or employee for each residence hall

A new bill filed by Rep. Jervonte Edmonds for the 2023 Legislative Session would require Florida colleges and universities to carry an emergency supply of opioid overdose treatment in residence halls and dorms.

Per the bill, each institution would be mandated to carry a supply of emergency opioid antagonists with an autoinjection delivery system or intranasal application delivery system in each residence hall or dormitory residence owned or operated by the institution.

The bill references opioid “antagonists,” which include naloxone, hydrochloride, or any similarly acting drug that blocks the effects of a lethal dose of opioids.

Members of the Florida College System would be required to store the opioid antagonists in a clearly marked location that is easily accessible to resident assistants or other institution employees.

Further, the bill states that universities must provide training in the administration of opioid antagonists to at least one resident assistant or employee for each residence hall.

Should the bill advance through legislation, the Florida Board of Education and the Board of Governors, alongside the state Department of Health, would work to craft regulations and specifications for its enforcement.

Per the 2019 medical examiner’s report, 38 youths died that year due to drug overdose—27 of whom died specifically from an opioid-related overdose.

A report published by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement last week highlighted a ten percent increase in drug overdose deaths in 2021.

According to the report, toxicological findings indicate that drugs were present at the time of death in 16,138 of the 36,523 fatalities that medical examiners investigated last year.

FDLE reports 8,411 opioid‐related deaths, an increase of 569 deaths, or seven percent, compared to 2020.

According to the Department of Health in October, Florida surpassed 4,000 reported fatal overdose cases this year, with the actual number likely much higher, as counties statewide continue to struggle with the introduction of counterfeit opioids.

In FDLE’s report, St. Petersburg recorded the most deaths caused by fentanyl, a type of synthetic opioid, at 654, followed by Ft. Lauderdale (611 deaths), Jacksonville (560 deaths), and West Palm Beach (547 deaths).