Florida Senate - 2024 SB By Senator Brodeur 10-00243-24 202466__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled

An act relating to Naloxone Awareness Day; providing a

short title; creating s. 683.3342, F.S.; designating June of each year as “Naloxone Awareness Day”; 4 authorizing the Governor to issue an annual proclamation; encouraging the Department of Health to hold events to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid overdose and the availability and safe use of naloxone as an effective way to rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdose; providing an effective date. 11

WHEREAS, the opioid epidemic continues to ravage American families across the United States, and

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 100,000 overdose deaths in the United States during the 12-month period that ended in February 2023, and

WHEREAS, most of these deaths were caused by illicit synthetic drugs like clandestinely manufactured fentanyl, often in combination with other drugs, and

WHEREAS, in 2021, nearly 71,000 drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids occurred in the United States, which was more deaths that year than from any other type of opioid, 23 and

WHEREAS, synthetic-opioid-involved death rates increased by more than percent from to and synthetic opioids accounted for nearly percent of all opioid-involved deaths in 27 2021, and

WHEREAS, by comparison, from to 2021, nearly 280,000 Florida Senate - 2024 SB 66 10-00243-24 202466__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. people died in the United States from overdoses involving prescription opioids, and

WHEREAS, the number of drug overdose deaths involving prescription opioids in was nearly five times the number in 33 1999, and

WHEREAS, in 2021, an average of people died each day from a prescription opioid overdose, for a total of nearly 36 17,000 deaths, and

WHEREAS, in 2021, nearly percent of all opioid overdose deaths involved prescription opioids, and

WHEREAS, 60 percent of all opioid overdose deaths occur in the home, and

WHEREAS, in percent of opioid overdose deaths, another person was present at the time and witnessed the death, and

WHEREAS, naloxone is a safe, powerful medication that can reverse opioid-related overdoses and prevent overdose deaths, 45 and

WHEREAS, in 2023, in a historic action, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray, and

WHEREAS, most Americans remain unaware of the safety, 50 availability, and efficacy of naloxone as a life-saving treatment for opioid overdose, and

WHEREAS, the national advocacy efforts of David Siegel and Jackie Siegel are recognized as they advocate for widespread availability of naloxone through the Victoria’s Voice Foundation, named in honor of their daughter, who died from an accidental overdose,

NOW, THEREFORE, 57 Florida Senate - 2024 SB 66 10-00243-24 202466__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 59

Section 1. This act may be cited as “Victoria’s Law.” 61

Section

Section 683.3342, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 63 683.3342 Naloxone Awareness Day.- 64

(1) June of each year is designated as “Naloxone Awareness Day.” 66

(2) The Governor may issue an annual proclamation designating June as “Naloxone Awareness Day.” 68

(3) The Department of Health is encouraged to hold events to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid overdose and the availability and safe use of naloxone as an effective way to rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdose. 72

Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. 73