Quick answer
District 13 medical examiners recorded 10 deaths with heroin present in Hillsborough County in 2024, and heroin caused 9 of them. Fentanyl is the bigger risk - present in 254 District 13 deaths that year. Within 30 miles of Tampa, 10 federally certified opioid treatment programs treat opioid use disorder.
If heroin has a hold on you or someone you love, you already know how fast it can shrink a life down to the next dose. Here is the part that is easy to miss from inside it: the powder being sold as heroin in Florida today is usually fentanyl, and the treatment that works for opioid use disorder works for both. Hillsborough County has medication-assisted care within a short drive, and the first call is the only step that has to happen today.
If someone is unresponsive or breathing slowly, call 911 and give naloxone if you have it. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.
Where can I get help for heroin use in Tampa?
It depends on what the person needs first. If someone is in active withdrawal or using daily, same-week medication - buprenorphine or methadone - is the highest-value step, because it lowers the risk of dying far more than waiting for a residential bed. If they have just overdosed or are medically unstable, 911 and the emergency room come before any program. If they are leaving detox or inpatient care, outpatient medication plus counseling protects the gains. In every case, one call to a program that can screen today is the next move.
What the local data show about heroin here
The Florida Medical Examiners Commission 2024 report recorded 10 deaths with heroin present in District 13 (Hillsborough County and Tampa) in 2024, and heroin caused 9 of them. Statewide, heroin was present in 74 deaths across Florida in 2024, causing 63, down about 20 percent in occurrences from 2023. Not one of those statewide deaths involved heroin alone - every one also involved another drug, most often fentanyl.
What replaced heroin on the toxicology reports is fentanyl. The same report found fentanyl present in 254 District 13 deaths in 2024, causing 236. CDC provisional county data record 335 drug overdose deaths among Hillsborough County residents in 2024. The trend has been downward statewide, but fentanyl is still the drug most likely to be involved in a fatal overdose here. Tampa has about 413,600 residents, and Hillsborough County about 1.57 million (Census Bureau estimates, as of July 2025).
Why the risk has not gone away
Heroin is a highly addictive opioid, and NIDA reports that it is commonly cut with or replaced by illegally made fentanyl - often without the buyer knowing. That is why a person who believes they are using heroin can die from a fentanyl overdose, and why the risk does not show up as "heroin deaths" in the data. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and a lethal dose can be invisible.
Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose, including one caused by fentanyl, and is available over the counter without a prescription. A fentanyl-related overdose can need more than one dose, so carry two if you can, and call 911 first.
Cocaine is the other substance turning up in local deaths: the same 2024 report counted 197 deaths with cocaine present in District 13, 107 of them caused by cocaine. Mixing stimulants with opioids raises the risk further.
Medication is the first line of treatment
Heroin use disorder is treatable, and medication is the standard of care. NIDA lists three FDA-approved medications: methadone, dispensed daily through a certified opioid treatment program; buprenorphine, a partial agonist that a doctor can prescribe; and naltrexone, which blocks opioid receptors. People treated with methadone or buprenorphine are less likely to die or have an overdose than people who get no medication, and NIDA notes that medication combined with behavioral therapy is especially effective.
Treatment options around Tampa
Within 30 miles of downtown Tampa (ZIP 33602), the SAMHSA locator lists 51 substance use treatment facilities, including 10 federally certified opioid treatment programs, 41 that offer buprenorphine, and 34 offering outpatient methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone. Not every program offers medication, so ask directly: Does this program offer methadone on site, or buprenorphine through a prescriber, and how soon can I be seen?
Paying for heroin treatment
Florida Medicaid (AHCA) covers medically necessary substance use disorder care, including medication for opioid use disorder, through Statewide Medicaid Managed Care plans for eligible members. Florida has not expanded Medicaid, so many working-age adults do not qualify. If you are uninsured, Central Florida Behavioral Health Network, the Florida DCF managing entity for Hillsborough and neighboring Gulf Coast counties, contracts a network of providers for people who are uninsured or underinsured. Private plans and Marketplace coverage must cover substance use care under federal parity rules; confirm network status before you commit.
How to start today
- If someone is overdosing - slow or stopped breathing, blue lips, unresponsive - call 911 and give naloxone. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to speak with a treatment specialist, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Search findtreatment.gov with ZIP code 33602 and filter for opioid treatment programs or buprenorphine.
- Ask a program how soon it can start medication and whether it helps with naloxone.
Opioid use disorder is treatable with medication and support, and the drugs on the street do not change that. The first call is usually harder than the clinical start.
This page is general health information, not medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any facility named above. Other Heroin treatment in Florida: Heroin treatment in Daytona Beach, Florida, Heroin treatment in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Heroin treatment in Fort Myers, Florida, Heroin treatment in Gainesville, Florida, Heroin treatment in Jacksonville, Florida, Heroin treatment in Lakeland, Florida, Heroin treatment in Miami, Florida, Heroin treatment in Ocala, Florida, Heroin treatment in Orlando, Florida, Heroin treatment in Pensacola, Florida, Heroin treatment in Sarasota, Florida, Heroin treatment in St Petersburg, Florida.
Last updated: Wed Oct 21 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
How many heroin deaths were there in Tampa and Hillsborough County in 2024?
The Florida Medical Examiners Commission 2024 report recorded 10 deaths with heroin present in District 13, which covers Hillsborough County and Tampa, and heroin caused 9 of them. Statewide, heroin was present in 74 deaths in 2024 and caused 63, down about 20 percent in occurrences from 2023, and not one of those statewide deaths involved heroin alone.
If heroin deaths are rarer than fentanyl deaths, why is heroin still dangerous?
Because the powder sold as heroin today is usually not heroin. NIDA reports that illegally made fentanyl is commonly mixed into or sold as other drugs, including heroin, often without the buyer knowing. That is why the overdose risk comes from fentanyl contamination, not from the name on the bag, and why naloxone matters even for someone who thinks they are using heroin.
What medications treat heroin use disorder?
NIDA reports three FDA-approved medications: methadone, dispensed through a certified opioid treatment program; buprenorphine, which any practitioner with a standard DEA registration can now prescribe; and naltrexone, which blocks opioid receptors. They reduce cravings and withdrawal. NIDA notes medication combined with behavioral therapy is particularly effective.
What should I do if someone is overdosing right now?
Call 911 immediately and give naloxone if you have it - naloxone will not harm someone who is not overdosing. A fentanyl-related overdose can need more than one dose, so carry two if you can. If you are in a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988, or call or text (800) 653-9376 to speak with a treatment specialist.
Where can I get naloxone in Hillsborough County?
Florida law (section 381.887, Florida Statutes) lets pharmacists dispense naloxone under a standing order without a personal prescription, and free kits are distributed through county health offices and harm-reduction partners. If you are uninsured, Central Florida Behavioral Health Network is the Florida DCF managing entity for Hillsborough County and can point you to publicly funded care.