HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Attorney General Ashley Moody marked National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day by joining Pasco County officials to speak about the opioid crisis in Tampa Bay.

A Hillsborough County Deputy was hospitalized on Aug. 18 after being exposed to fentanyl in an inmate’s bunk area. The deputy was discharged from the hospital that same night.

Moody addressed the incident at the Falkenburg Road Jail when answering a question from reporters. She said more and more, first responders are faced with situations where they not only have to protect their communities while out on calls, but they also must take precautions for their own safety against fentanyl. It’s part of a growing nationwide crisis that Moody said has taken a particular hold in the Tampa Bay area.

According to the attorney general, Pasco and Pinellas counties saw 374 fentanyl deaths in the first six months of 2022. She said that’s nearly 100 higher than Jacksonville, which was the second most-impacted area in the state.

Moody said fentanyl has made its way into every kind of illicit drug. She said most concerning is that it’s now being found in counterfeit pills. Very small amounts of the substance are enough to kill.

Moody said, as what happened in Hillsborough County, that danger can also affect first responders who come in contact with the substance.

“It’s incredibly frustrating. As the wife of a law enforcement officer, you expect that those jobs are dangerous. The increasing jeopardy in which we are placing law enforcement officers and first responders that are coming in contact with fentanyl is frightening,” said Moody.

Moody said the only way to guarantee not being exposed to fentanyl is to not use drugs. She encouraged anyone struggling with substance abuse to seek treatment, pointing people to a web site that can lead people to targeted resources. Resources can also be found through the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.