Ashley Moody alerts spring breakers about dangers of fentanyl hidden in common drugs

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody warned spring breakers Tuesday about the dangers of using illicit drugs, specifically laced with fentanyl, after a glaring Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, report showed seven out of 10 fake pills found with fentanyl contain a potential lethal dose.

“We are in the midst of an opioid crisis claiming thousands of lives here in Florida every year. This deadly crisis is being fueled by lethal amounts of fentanyl hidden in almost every illicit drug,” Moody said in a release. “Students flocking to Florida to enjoy spring break need to be more aware than ever about the dangers of using illicit drugs and that using just one time can kill.“

According to the DEA, fake pills containing fentanyl have spiked 75% in two years. The department also reportedly seized 41 million lethal doses of fentanyl in 2024.

The agency reports drug overdose deaths, mainly attributed to fentanyl, continue to metastasize across the United States. The synthetic opioid caused 88% of all drug overdose deaths in 2021 according to officials.

Overall, 107,000 Americans died from a drug overdose death in 2021, a 14% increase from the previous year. The alarming figures couples with a report showing 40% of Americans know someone who has died from a drug overdose.

Florida also has not been immune to the epidemic.

A report, conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, indicated 6,200 Floridians died from fentanyl in 2022.

Moody, with spring break hitting its peak in Florida, offered the following tips to keep visitors safe.

• Emphasize the importance of making informed choices and the potential consequences of substance abuse;
• Ensure adult supervision on spring break trips;
• Engage in open communication and check in with children regularly;
• Establish rules and boundaries for spring breakers to follow; and
• Encourage children to share a trip itinerary, travel arrangements and intended activities.

Moody also stressed parents must “make clear to children that the possibility of illicit drugs containing fentanyl is too high and that the choices made during spring break could result in tragedy.”

Along with the Attorney General, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently ramped up measures to keep spring breakers safe.

DeSantis, speaking at a press conference in Miami Beach, prefaced his remarks by calling Florida a “law and order state.”

“What we don’t welcome is criminal activity. What we don’t welcome is mayhem and people that want to wreak havoc on our communities,” DeSantis said. “Make no mistake about it, if your coming here in order to enjoy Florida and to enjoy and have a good time fine, if your coming for these other reasons, if your committing crimes, causing havoc, you are going to pay the price.”