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(Health-NewsWire.Net, August 31, 2015 ) South Florida Region, FL -- According to Local 10 News, South Florida is part of a national plan which will target the outbreak of a heroin epidemic which has impacted the nation, especially in South Florida's Miami-Dade County, which has been hit particularly hard.
As heroin-related overdoses and deaths soar, the White House has set plans to announce an initiative that will pair public health and law enforcement in effort to shift the emphasis from punishing addicts to providing them with proper treatment. The $5 million experiment will take place in Florida and 14 other states, will focus on pinpointing where heroin is coming from, how and where it is being laced with deadly additives, and who is distributing the product to street level dealers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nationally, heroin-related overdoses have almost doubled from 2011 to 2013, when over 8,200 people have died as a result. Health agencies nationwide believe that this may be linked to the explosive increase in cases of hepatitis C, a blood infection which can cause liver cancer and other health complications.
Drug intelligence officers and health policy analysts will collect data on overdoses, find patterns, and get intelligence on trafficking trends to street-level law enforcement more rapidly than the current system allows. The new hires will work under a law enforcement coordinator who will use the data collected to identify targets for police to go after across state lines, in addition to a regional health coordinator who will analyze trends in the overdose data and devise strategies for combating spikes in drug use.
"Our approach needs to be broad and inclusive," a senior White House official said. "Law enforcement is only one part of what really needs to be a comprehensive public health, public safety approach."
The initiative will also train first responders on the use of medication which can reverse opioid overdose. There are also cities in the U.S, where law enforcement works with pharmacies to provide naloxone, an overdose reversal drug, at discounted price, and are pushing for federal authorities to designate some of the money seized from drug dealers to be put towards funding treatment programs.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is in hopes that pairing public health workers and police will not only reduce drug-related crime, but will also assist in saving lives in 15 of the nation's 28 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas. The target includes about 17 percent of U.S. counties and about 60 percent of the population, according to officials.
A medical associate from Drug Florida Rehab comments "I think this initiative will produce amazing results. I am a firm believer that using the approach to treat drug users instead of punishing them with jail time will be very effective. I am truly excited for this initiative to go into effect."
Drug Florida Rehab is a leading addiction treatment center in Florida which provides comprehensive addiction and recovery services. The luxury treatment center is staffed by highly trained medical professionals and addiction specialists committed to their patient's successful recovery. Drug Florida Rehab is committed to saving as many lives from addiction and substance abuse as possible.
To learn more about the addiction treatment services provided at Drug Florida Rehab, visit their website at http://drugfloridarehab.net/ or call their 24/7 helpline at (786) 574-3161.
About Drug Florida Drug Rehab:
Drug Florida Rehab is a 24/7 medically supervised addiction treatment center dedicated to providing patients with a safe and effective recovery from addiction.
Drug Florida Drug Rehab
Drug Florida Drug Rehab Drug Florida Drug Rehab
(786) 574-3161
info@drugfloridarehab.net
Source: EmailWire.Com 
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