Coral Springs

New Task Force Will Tackle Opioid Crisis in Coral Springs

Coral Springs city leaders, law enforcement and the fire department have launched a new task force after 50 people died last year from opioid overdoses.

Over 600 in Broward County have died from overdosing on opioids. The city, in collaboration with healthcare providers and the fire and police departments, launched a campaign and public service announcement Thursday highlighting the dangers of addiction and how it starts.

"This opioid issue is bigger than law enforcement and that's why we came together as a community, as a task force to tackle this deadly issue," said Shawn Backer of the Coral Springs Police Department.

More than 80 percent of opioids start with prescription drugs, so the new Opioid Task Force will set out to do presentations around the community to educate the public on warning signs, as well as how to administer naxolone, which is used to treat narcotic overdoses.

"In Coral Springs we have a lot of schools, we have a lot sports teams and a lot of kids in communities, so we looked at it and said, 'How can we make a difference?'"

Click here for more information on the task force.

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