GAINESVILLE - The number of prescription drug deaths in Florida has been steadily rising over the past several years. But new statewide numbers released on Wednesday show that trend may be on the decline.

 

The latest statistics released by state medical examiners show a 6.37 percent drop in the overall number of prescription pill deaths, and a 17.7 percent drop in the number of deaths caused by oxycodone. Experts in the field of pharmacology say that drop would not have happened without the state's new prescription drug database, which tracks the number of prescriptions a person tries to fill. The database went into effect last year.

 

But with fewer drugs hitting the streets, law enforcement officials say they have seen the street value of those drugs skyrocket.

 

Altogether, there were 9,135 cases of drug-related deaths last year alone.