health care providers , and manufacturers all play a role in preventing abuse . This plan will save lives , and it will substantially lessen the burden this epidemic takes on our families , communities , and workforce . '' The effort , called `` Epidemic : Responding to America 's Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis , '' is primarily aimed at cracking down on abuse of opioids , some of the most powerful pain relievers on the market . Opioids are a class of drugs used to treat chronic pain and include products like OxyContin , Vicodin , Darvon , Dilaudid and Demerol . When abused they can be highly addictive . Prescriptions for these painkillers have increased dramatically over the past 10 years . In 2000 pharmacies filed 174 million opioid prescriptions . By 2009 that number was 257 million . According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , over the past five years , hospital emergency room visits linked to prescription drug abuse or misuse have doubled . `` Unintentional drug overdose is a growing epidemic in the U.S. and is now the leading cause of injury death in 17 states , '' said Dr.
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prescription drug overdose is now the fastest-growing drug problem in the country , surpassing the number of people who overdosed during both the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and the black tar heroin epidemic of the 1970s combined , the Obama administration says . The problem is so severe , the administration is releasing a plan to combat what it calls a crisis of epidemic proportions . `` The toll our nation 's prescription drug abuse epidemic has taken in communities nationwide is devastating , '' said Gil Kerlikowske , White House director of national drug control policy . `` We share a responsibility to protect our communities from the damage done by prescription drug abuse . '' According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy , in 2007 about 28,000 people died from drug overdoses . Most were accidental and were related to prescription drugs . `` Today , we are making an unprecedented commitment to combat the growing problem of prescription drug abuse , '' said Vice President Joe Biden as he announced the administration 's plan Tuesday morning . `` The government , as well as parents , patients ,