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FLORIDA - Governor Ron DeSantis signed “Gage’s Law,” which will require hospitals to test for fentanyl when treating patients for suspected overdoses or poisonings, as Florida teaks a new step in its battle against the opioid crisis.
The law takes effect July 1st.
The legislation is named after Gage Austin Taylor, a young man who died in 2022 after unknowingly consuming a substance that was allegedly laced with fentanyl.
His mother, Gretchin Murray, has since become an advocate for better hospital testing protocols, noting that her son was not tested for fentanyl at the hospital, delaying proper investigation and charges against those allegedly involved.
Sponsored by Senator Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) and Representative Rita Harris (D-Orlando), the bill mandates that hospitals include fentanyl in standard drug screening panels for patients showing signs of overdose.
If fentanyl is detected, a confirmation test must follow, and results must be documented in the patient’s records.
Senator Polsky called fentanyl a “plague on our communities” and expressed confidence that the law would help families facing similar tragedies.
According to the CDC, Florida currently has the second-highest rate of drug-related deaths in the country, with fentanyl being a major contributor.
Between January and June 2023 alone, over 2,500 deaths in Florida involved the drug, with most ruled accidental.
Supporters hope Gage’s Law will lead to faster diagnoses, more accurate data, and improved public safety by giving hospitals the tools needed to respond to the ongoing fentanyl epidemic.