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Florida Fentanyl Deaths Down Nearly 60% Since 2023 Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that fentanyl-caused deaths in Florida have fallen nearly 60% since 2023. The state went from about 5,000 fentanyl deaths in 2023 to roughly 2,000 by the end of 2025, according to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission’s 2025 Annual Drug Report. DeSantis tied the drop to the S.A.F.E. grant program, which launched in 2023 to fund multi-agency trafficking investigations. The program has led to almost 3,000 arrests of dealers and traffickers, plus major seizures including more than 600 pounds of fentanyl and over 65,000 fentanyl pills. Other drug deaths also declined from 2024 to 2025, including opioid-caused deaths down 33%, methamphetamine deaths down 23%, and cocaine deaths down 16%. Florida officials say the work continues on enforcement, prevention, and treatment.