HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Drug overdose deaths have decreased by 8% this year, according to State Attorney Suzy Lopez.

Lopez said that more progress will be achieved in the fight against fentanyl abuse and the abuse of other drugs since new legislation has been signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The legislation expands Florida’s Coordinated Opioid Response network and increases penalties for exposing law enforcement to fentanyl.

“The newer legislation that has increased the mandatory minimum sentences for trafficking in fentanyl, which means that these dealers now know that they are facing serious prison time, sometimes decades in prison, for peddling this deadly poison,” said Lopez.

The state attorney emphasized the importance of partnerships in combating the epidemic. Hillsborough Recovery Coalition is a nonprofit organization that provides peer support for individuals and families affected by substance use.

“We get reports back that some of the Narcan that we distribute has actually reversed some overdoses.” said Hillsborough Recovery Coalition Peer Support Counselor Monica Gonzalez.

With offices located at the Portico Cafe, they offer support groups and resources such as food and clothing. However, according to Gonzalez, outreach is the most crucial aspect of their job.

“A lot of people don't really quite understand what Narcan is or how it works,” she said.

Every week, she hits the streets, handing out Narcan, which can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose.

“Anybody want a box for free?” she asked while walking around Ybor City.

Gonzalez said she believes that every interaction is an opportunity to educate the community and local businesses about the dangers of fentanyl, opioids, and drug overdoses.

“I think what's different between maybe my experience as a young person, you know, being and high school or being a teenager, and then the kids now, is that there wasn't fentanyl in all of the drugs when I was in school,” she said.

Gonzalez started using opioids at 15 after discovering her deceased grandfather’s OxyContin, and said it has become a growing problem.

Cathy Valdez’s son died at the age of 24 from an overdose.

“My son had availability of thousands of pills,” she said.

The retired deputy superintendent for Hillsborough County Public Schools played a role in bringing N.O.P.E. (Narcotics Overdose Prevention Education) into the school system to teach young people about the dangers of drugs.

“We talk to the students every day about being the hero," Valdez said. "And if you know that someone's using, or someone is having an issue with substance abuse,to tell somebody. Be that hero."

Whether it’s sharing their own stories or making Naloxone available to those who need it, Valdez and Gonzalez are doing their part to fight the epidemic.

“Seeing the person I am today and then telling somebody I'm a person in recovery, that kind of helps to destigmatize who we are,” Gonzalez said. “I want to hear about other people's stories. I want to share mine if they want to hear bits and pieces of it. But I'm more invested in uplifting other people's voices so they can be heard and find their way”

Gonzalez said she believes drug addiction is a community issue, and honest conversations are crucial for healing.