JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Centers for Disease Control is warning people of a highly addictive synthetic drug.
Florida is leading the nation in overdose deaths when it comes to Eutylone.
Eutylone is a form of bath salt rising in prevalence.
First Coast News spoke with a family who lost their son in March 2021 of an accidental drug overdose.
“It’s very painful and I don’t deal well with it,” said John Sheller, son died of an accidental overdose.
Sheller has his son’s urn next to a picture sitting in his living room.
He’s had a hard time accepting his son’s death.
“The group we’re in is not a happy group to be in… the loss of a child,” said Rebecca Sheller, son died of an accidental overdose.
Rebecca Sheller says their son, Max, was 24 years old, loved sports, he had a bright smile and he loved family.
The Shellers say Max was in rehab when he passed away.
“I thought maybe he just kind of went on a bender and would come out of it,” said John.
When he died, medical examiners found Fentanyl in his system.
The CDC recently put out a warning about a new synthetic drug called Eutylone which draws much of the same concern as Fentanyl.
In Florida, the agency said there was close to 350 Eutylone related deaths in 2020.
Drug rehab facilities say help is available.
“Reach out and find someone you can connect to and if you have any time in recovery or sobriety that you are introduced to any of these drugs, don’t take them because one is too many and 1,000 is never enough,” said Amber Gilbert, Recovery Point Palatka.
“I look for my son in everything, which sounds crazy but I look for him in messages and I miss him like crazy but I would hate to think that another family would have to go through what we’ve been through,” said Rebecca.