Drug Test - Clearwater, FL

Clearwater, Florida - Drug Testing

Substance abuse statistics for Clearwater, FL

Clearwater, Florida: Drug abuse trends

Florida is among the states with the highest number of fatal drug overdoses. Clearwater belongs to Pinellas County, which has even experienced a significant increase in non-fatal drug overdoses in emergency rooms. Florida is one of eighteen states that saw a substantial increase in deaths related to synthetic opioids in recent years. In addition to seventeen other states, Florida had a significant 50 percent increase in synthetic opioid overdose deaths from May 2019 to May 2020.

Many experts say the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in drug abuse. People experienced elevated levels of anxiety, stress, and loneliness due to all the regulations, fear, and uncertainty. The decline in mental health, shift in social norms, and lack of availability for critical services are thought to have led more people to rely on substances to cope. Even people who were sober for some time relapsed, and others increased their drug use.

Additionally, fentanyl became highly available on the streets, and many drug dealers started mixing this opioid into other drugs. Many people who take cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine have no idea that these substances were spiked with fentanyl. Since tiny amounts of fentanyl are very potent, the street use of fentanyl often results in accidental overdoses that can be fatal.

Police shut down drug house in Clearwater, Florida

Clearwater police received multiple complaints from residents about illegal activities happening at one of the houses. The police contacted an undercover operation and arrested a 26-year-old man. During their search, they found crack cocaine, MDMA, and some other substance that returned positive for cocaine. The suspect was held at the Pinellas County Jail on a $39,000 bail.

Last updated 10/28/2022