Washington ( CNN ) -- 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 , 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. Thomas Frieden , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . `` There are effective and emerging strategies out there to address this problem . Support for this action plan will help us implement those strategies which will go a long way to save lives and reduce the tremendous burden this problem has on our health care system and our society . '' The plan seeks to reduce abuse and drug diversion , educate both parents and health care providers , find better ways to dispose of unused pills , and beef up enforcement efforts by clamping down on pill mills and doctor shopping . The Food and Drug Administration will provide support by requiring an opioids Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy to determine that a drug 's benefits outweigh its risks . Under this process , drug manufacturers must make educational materials on proper prescribing and disposal available to anyone writing prescriptions for long-acting and extended-release painkillers . The agency must approve all materials before they are released . `` Long-acting and extended-release opioid drugs have benefit when used properly and are a necessary component of pain management for certain patients , but we know that they pose serious risks when used improperly , with serious negative consequences for individuals , families and communities , '' said FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg . `` The prescriber education component of this opioid ( risk evaluation and mitigation strategy ) balances the need for continued access to these medications with stronger measures to reduce their risks . '' Thirty-five states already have prescription drug monitoring programs in place that help track how prescriptions are prescribed and distributed by authorized healthcare providers and pharmacies . The program 's main goal is to prevent abuse and diversion at the retail level . Under the new plan , agencies will work to establish prescription drug monitoring programs in every state . The Drug Enforcement Agency will be heavily involved in enforcement , recovering prescription drugs , and focusing on doctors who illegally prescribe and dispense these drugs . They will also target `` doctor shoppers '' -- people who visit multiple doctors to secure multiple prescriptions and pill mills . `` When abused , prescription drugs are just as dangerous and just as addictive as drugs like methamphetamine or heroin , '' DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart said . `` The more we can do to stop the abuse of prescription drugs , the more effective we will be in reducing the death , destruction and despair that accompanies all drug abuse . '' A number of other federal agencies will also be involved in the effort , including the departments of Health and Human Services , Justice , Defense and Veterans Affairs .
Abuse of prescription drugs is reaching epidemic proportions , the administration says . A new effort to combat the problem is being launched . Biden : The plan will `` lessen the burden this epidemic takes on our families ''