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MIAMI — From “Scarface” to “Miami Vice,” Florida’s drug problem has been portrayed as the story of a single narcotic: cocaine. But for Floridians, prescription drugs are increasingly a far more lethal habit.

An analysis of autopsies in 2007 released this week by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission found that the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs was three times the rate of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined.

Law enforcement officials said that the shift toward prescription-drug abuse, which began here about eight years ago, showed no sign of letting up and that the state must do more to control it.

“You have health care providers involved, you have doctor shoppers, and then there are crimes like robbing drug shipments,” said Jeff Beasley, a drug intelligence inspector for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which co-sponsored the study. “There is a multitude of ways to get these drugs, and that’s what makes things complicated.”

The report’s findings track with similar studies by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which has found that roughly seven million Americans are abusing prescription drugs. If accurate, that would be an increase of 80 percent in six years and more than the total abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, Ecstasy and inhalants.

The Florida report analyzed 168,900 deaths statewide. Cocaine, heroin and all methamphetamines caused 989 deaths, it found, while legal opioids — strong painkillers in brand-name drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin — caused 2,328.

Drugs with benzodiazepine, mainly depressants like Valium and Xanax, led to 743 deaths. Alcohol was the most commonly occurring drug, appearing in the bodies of 4,179 of the dead and judged the cause of death of 466 — fewer than cocaine (843) but more than methamphetamine (25) and marijuana (0).

The study also found that while the number of people who died with heroin in their bodies increased 14 percent in 2007, to 110, deaths related to the opioid oxycodone increased 36 percent, to 1,253.

Florida scrutinizes drug-related deaths more closely than do other states, and so there is little basis for comparison with them.

It has also witnessed several highly publicized cases in recent years that have highlighted the problem. Only last year, an accidental prescription drug overdose killed Anna Nicole Smith in Broward County.

Still, the state has lagged in enforcement. Thirty-eight other states have approved prescription drug monitoring programs that track sales. Florida lawmakers have repeatedly considered similar legislation, but privacy concerns have kept it from passing.

As a result, federal, state and local law enforcement officials say, Florida has become a source of prescription drugs that are illegally sold across the country.

“The monitoring plan is our priority effort, but that is not enough,” William H. Janes, the Florida director of drug control, said in a statement accompanying the study. He said Florida was also looking at ways to curb illegal Internet sales and to encourage doctors and pharmacists to identify potential abusers.

Some local police departments have taken a more novel approach.

In Broward County on May 31, deputies completed a “drug takeback” in which $5 Wal-Mart, CVS or Walgreens gift cards were distributed to 150 people who cleaned out their medicine cabinets and turned in unused drugs in an effort to keep them out of young people’s hands.

“The abuse has reached epidemic proportions,” said Lisa McElhaney, a sergeant in the pharmaceutical drug diversion unit of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s just explosive.”

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The Kitchen

Don’t allow food to spoil, but if it does, discard it immediately, then wash and dry receptacles thoroughly. Use a fan or open the windows to remove excess steam when cooking. Look out for mold on cutting boards and sponges, in sink and disposal stoppers, refrigerator gaskets and drip pans, washing machines, garbage containers, and places where fresh food is stored. Watch for dust and mildew atop, behind, and under sinks, stoves, refrigerators, and other hard-to-reach places.

All Rooms

Bare is beautiful. The fewer objects lying around, the better. Books, magazines, light fixtures, shelves of knickknacks, TV sets, even clothes collect dust. Move small objects to drawers and cabinets and keep the furniture 3 to 5 inches from the wall, so you can vacuum behind them. Store all garments in clean closets with closed doors. If you must dust the room yourself, use damp rather than dry dusting, and wear a disposable face mask. To get to hard-to-reach places atop refrigerators or behind headboards, wrap a moist rag around a pole or yardstick. Painted walls are preferable to wallpaper because the flour in wallpaper paste has a high content of mold spores. So do fabric hangings and tapestries. If practical, replace upholstered chairs and sofas with. canvas, metal, plastic, or simple wood furniture. Decorative pillows and stuffed animals attract dust. One mother tells her daughter she’s taking her teddy bear for a ride, then pops him into the dryer for a half-hour spin at high heat. An alternative is to put Teddy in an airtight plastic bag and place him in the freezer for two to three days. It takes that long for the cold temperature to kill the mites, although it doesn’t remove their debris. A third possibility is to cut open the toy, replace the stuffing with old nylon stockings or polyester fill, and sew up the seam.

The Floor

New carpet loses its strong chemical odor over time, but as it ages, it becomes a haven for microorganisms-dust mites, mold spores, animal dander, and the like. A University of Virginia study found that carpets accumulate allergens at one hundred times the rate of a bare floor. If possible, carpets should be replaced. The ideal nonallergenic floor is a hardwood, tile, or vinyl surface that can be cleaned with a wet mop-twice a week, at least-and covered with small washable rugs. Don’t use brooms; they stir up too much dust.The best vacuum to buy is a tank-type with strong suction and an extension on the hose so that the canister can sit outside the room during vacuuming. Dust-filtering bags are available from allergy supply companies for $ 6 to $ 10 for a set of five. Leave the task of changing them to someone else. Many new and more expensive ($ 400 and up ) vacuum cleaners come equipped with HEPA ( high efficiency particulate arresting ) filters specially designed to trap fine particles as small as . 3 microns. ( A micron is ”/, mw of a millimeter .) Consumer Reports studied vacuum cleaners in 1997 and reported : ” If someone in your family has asthma or allergies, consider using one of the high-performing models as your regular vacuum cleaner. Many airborne allergens-notably pollens-are much larger than the particle sizes we tested, so cleaners that performed well on our tests will also trap the larger particles effectively. But don’t expect a high-filtration vacuum cleaner to substitute for longer-lasting environmental controls, such as removing carpeting or encasing bedding in mite-proof covers .”

The Windows

Roll-down shades and. unlined washable curtains are preferable to dust-catching blinds and draperies. Keep windows closed during pollen season and at peak pollen hours, usually 5 A. M. to 10 A. M. Use central or room air conditioning switched to the ” recycle ” or ” recirculate ” setting. Air conditioners are great pollen traps, so clean them and change filters scrupulously. If possible, avoid heavy draperies and Venetian blinds in favor of light cotton or synthetic curtains that can be washed regularly. Shades are fine if dusted at least once a week.

The Bathroom

Prevent molds from growing by wiping down shower curtains, walls, tub, toilet, tile, and all damp areas with a mixture of cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water ( or one part bleach to ten parts water ) at least once a month. Four times a year use Zephiran ( benzalkonium chloride ), 1 fluid ounce to 1 gallon of water, to further inhibit mold growth. Allow plenty of ventilation, and let surfaces air-dry-or better yet, install an exhaust fan. Keep as few toxic cleaning products and pesticides in the kitchen as possible. ( See chapter 17 for nontoxic substitutes .)