Dealers are flooding Florida with fake party drugs that could be “100% fentanyl” as they exploit spring break madness, state officials warn.
They use social media to advertise drugs, including Xanax, cocaine and ecstasy, to tens of thousands of students moving to the Sunshine State – but law enforcement officials Laws fear these substances could be mixed with lethal amounts of fentanyl.
Health officials are also bracing for an increase in accidental overdoses, with one charity hoping to distribute 5,000 doses of naloxone — which is used to reverse the effects of fentanyl — to partygoers.
Some dealers use popular social media apps, including Snapchat and Instagram, to advertise party drugs. Others patrol the busiest party spots and sell substances in broad daylight.
Fort Lauderdale officials are so concerned that they’re offering free testing so people can make sure their drinks haven’t been spiked with date-rape drugs.
As thousands of students flock to Florida for spring break, state officials have warned of party drugs that are laced with “lethal amounts of fentanyl.”
Florida’s attorney general has warned that drug dealers are using social media to sell drugs, which are advertised using an emoji code. But many party drugs are laced with deadly fentanyl
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “It’s spring break season. All month long, millions of students will descend on Florida’s beaches for a long-awaited break from school.
“While we hope everyone has a fun and safe vacation, it is important that spring breakers understand and be aware of the dangers of drug use. Lethal amounts of fentanyl are now found in almost all illicit substances.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said: “Lethal amounts of fentanyl are now found in almost all illicit substances”
Tens of thousands of rowdy students have already descended on Fort Lauderdale, which is the epicenter of this year’s celebrations after nearby Miami Beach imposed restrictions to try to curb the chaos.
Photographs published by DailyMail.com show beaches and bars are already buzzing ahead of the two-week extravaganza. In one video, a young woman boasts that her day starts with “bronzing powder and cocaine.”
But officials are worried Many partygoers are unaware that the drugs they buy on the street or on social media during spring break may contain fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than morphine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has found that about seven out of 10 illicit pills contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Many are sold like other substances and users have no idea of the deadly risk.
Mike Chitwood, sheriff of Volusia County, which includes popular Daytona Beach, said: “We know that during spring break there will be party drugs involved in this…
“You buy this stuff on the street, there’s a 100 percent chance you’re ingesting fentanyl.”
Moody, the attorney general, warned that drug dealers are using social media to target young people.
“Online drug dealers are using emoji codes to sell dangerous substances to our children through social media,” she said.
Common symbols include the snowflake, the eight ball and the key for cocaine. Adderall, Xanax, and Percocet are typically represented by a pill capsule, while methamphetamine may be advertised by a crystal ball or diamond emoji.
Care Resource, a Florida health care nonprofit, announced it will once again distribute free doses of naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, to students during spring break – after providing 4,900 doses during celebrations last year.
The drug reverses an opioid overdose, and partygoers are encouraged to carry it even if they don’t intend to use such drugs, due to the risk that they ingest fentanyl unintentionally.
Fort Lauderdale’s beaches and bars are already bustling ahead of the two-week extravaganza
Police patrol a beach in Fort Lauderdale during spring break, Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
Naloxone is distributed by Care Resource’s Special Purpose Outreach Team, known as SPOT, which protects youth from the “unsuspected danger of recreational drugs laced with fentanyl.”
The organization also warned about the rise of xylazine, a potentially deadly veterinary sedative that is also included in party drugs.
“Many Spring Breakers do not realize that the substances they buy on the street may contain fentanyl or xylazine,” warned Emelina Martinez, head of SPOT.
In March 2022, several cadets at the West Point Military Academy required resuscitation after suffering an overdose of fentanyl after consuming cocaine laced with the substance.
Four people suffered cardiac arrest after consuming the substance, before two others also overdosed when they attempted to administer CPR. The incident happened at a rental home in Wilton Manors.
A study published by UCLA Health found that about 22 teenagers aged 14 to 18 die each year across the country after taking counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.