Ending the opioid crisis in Florida is a top priority of our office, and this week, we received great news from the Florida Legislature. A bill to create the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Drug Abuse passed its first committee. The Senate Health Policy Committee voted 10-0 in favor of SB 1658.

The following day, the House companion bill, HB 875, passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee without a single no vote. There is not a corner of the state that has not felt the grave effects of the opioid crisis. Establishing a statewide task force solely focused on stopping opioid abuse is vital to our mission of combating the crisis and saving lives.

Florida’s Statewide Task Force on Opioid Drug Abuse would:

· Study the cost of the crisis on state and local governments;
· Identify available programs that have been successful in combating opioid abuse;
· Work to better understand the sources of addiction;
· Explore whether there is need for additional regulatory activity; and, among other things,
· Evaluate and identify ways to reduce the demand for opioids and decrease the supply.

I want to thank the House and Senate this week for their hard work. And, I will continue each day fighting to end the opioid epidemic.