Opioids are a family of drugs that include prescription painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone, as well as illegal drugs like heroin. Nationally, over 80% of overdose deaths involved an opioid such as prescription opioids, heroin, or synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Provisional data from the latest Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Medical Examiners Commission Interim Report, indicate there were 3,640 opioid-related deaths reported during the first six months of 2023.

The Florida Office of the Attorney General is committed to helping prevent the misuse of prescription opioids in Florida. Through Dose of Reality: Prevent Prescription Painkiller Misuse in Florida, our goal is to increase public awareness, education, and prevention efforts to prevent prescription painkiller misuse and save lives. Dose of Reality provides individuals, health care providers, teachers, coaches and others with opioid-related resources in one location, allowing for quick and easy access to vital information. This website includes details on approaches to preventing opioid misuse and addiction, proper pain management, safe storage of prescription painkillers, and guidelines on responding to an opioid overdose. It also features a statewide take back map of locations that accept prescription opioids for safe disposal.