Klobuchar leads summit at Northrop to combat opioid abuse

More than 1,000 stakeholders statewide will met at Northrop Auditorium on Tuesday to discuss solutions for the growing abuse of prescription painkillers.

Senator Amy Klobuchar was the keynote speaker at the state’s opioid summit. The event was organized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the panel included everyone from Gov. Mark Dayton to law enforcement to recovering addicts.

In recent years, the Food and Drug Administration has classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic, and pinned opioids as the biggest concern --a class of drugs that includes heroin and prescription painkillers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in 2010, more 100 Americans died every day from overdose, adding prescription pain killers were responsible for more than 40 percent of those deaths.  Sen. Klobuchar has led national efforts to help combat prescription drug abuse. Last year, DEA Office of Diversion Control enacted her plan that would create a place for consumers to dispose of unwanted and expired prescriptions.