West Palm Beach

In West Palm Beach, some of the most common types of drugs abused include opioids and benzodiazepines, both of which can result in fatality if improperly consumed. Opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, and hydrocodone are present in the bustling streets of West Palm Beach, as are benzodiazepines like Ativan, Klonopin, and Xanax. Despite West Palm Beach being home to some of the elite, it is certainly not unscathed by America’s drug problem.

Opioids in West Palm Beach

Prescription painkillers are widely abused across West Palm Beach by people from all walks of life. While these medications are designed to help address severe physical pain, surgical procedures, or cancer, they are often abused for off-label purposes. People are drawn to prescription painkillers because they produce a sense of detachment, relaxation, and relief. Unfortunately, prescription painkillers are so potent that even experimenting with them can quickly lead to a full-blown addiction.

The Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition attributes the rising number of deaths and admissions to treatment programs to widespread painkiller abuse. But what is making the opioid crisis in West Palm Beach even more complex is the addition of fentanyl into the mix.

Fentanyl is an opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine. Because of its significant potency, dealers in the West Palm Beach area are cutting their stashes of opioids with it to make more of a profit. It is reported that one kilogram of heroin sells for approximately $80,000 in the West Palm Beach area, but a kilogram of fentanyl only costs about $5,000. When dealers swap out heroin for fentanyl, they can increase their profits dramatically. Sadly, most people who abuse opioids may find themselves accidentally overdosing because they were unaware of the presence of fentanyl in their opioids. This is so prominent of a problem that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement reports that deaths caused by fentanyl increased by 97% between 2015 and 2016.

Benzodiazepines in West Palm Beach

While opioids often take the top spot when it comes to addiction in the West Palm Beach area, benzodiazepines are not far behind.

In 2016, fentanyl claimed the lives of 1,390 while benzodiazepines killed 1,769. These are prescription medications that are most frequently used to help treat symptoms of anxiety disorders. They work by helping calm the mind and body down so that those who are experiencing anxiety can regain control of their surroundings. While these medications have proven highly effective in treating anxiety disorders among other things, they are also highly addictive. The draw to benzodiazepines is the highly relaxed feel they produce. Not only do they help with relaxation, but they also provide euphoria and sedation, two things that many people want for themselves. Unfortunately, the abuse of benzodiazepines is extremely dangerous and potentially deadly.

Where Does West Palm Beach Get Its Drugs?

West Palm Beach is no different than most other towns and cities in Florida, all of which are susceptible to drug trafficking due to the state’s location. However, West Palm Beach is a port community, meaning that they take in shipments on a daily basis. Within these shipments can easily be a whole variety of drugs that eventually make their way out into the street.

The area of West Palm Beach is also filled with drug treatment centers, and unfortunately, drug dealers are aware of that. Those who live in this area and who attend treatment locally are likely to relapse or give up on their recovery efforts as a result of the constant temptation to use that surrounds them.

The Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition reports that 90% of heroin users in West Palm Beach choose needles as the main source for their heroin. This is not only dangerous to the users, but also to the rest of the community in the following ways:

• Infections – Ensuring the use of clean needles each time while using heroin is not a realistic goal. Not only do users tend to share needles with others, but many times their decision-making skills are compromised due to being under the influence. This has lead to countless infections and diseases, any of which include HIV and hepatitis.
• Overdose – In 2020 alone, overdoses in Palm Beach County increased by 23%. Many of these overdoses occur because users are unable to get an accurate measure of the dose they are about to inject. This can increase the risk of overdose.
• Public health concerns – Needles, in particular, pose a serious public health concern as they can litter the streets and accidentally poke passersby and spread disease.

The West Palm Beach Response

It is no secret that there are serious drug problems occurring in West Palm Beach, which is why action is being taken. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has enacted a program that is designed to:

• Educate the public
• Investigate drug dealing and drug use
• Research various trends regarding drug abuse
• Support the families in the community impacted by addiction

Many states have state agencies that can help assist residents in need of addiction treatment. Unfortunately, Florida does not have a program like that. However, West Palm Beach does have a number of resources that can help individuals grappling with active substance abuse and addiction. They include:

• West Palm Beach VA Medical Center
• 2-1-1 Helpline
• Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous
• South County Mental Health Center
• Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County, Inc.