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Obama Administration Launching New Strategy In Opioid Epidemic

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSMiami) -- With the heroin and opioid epidemic killing almost a hundred Americans every day, the Obama administration is now renewing its strategy to fight the public health crisis.

The Justice Department plan will reportedly call for law enforcement to identify links between over-prescribing doctors and distribution networks across the country, as well as prosecutors to share information more readily across state lines.

"There is no one magic bullet for this," said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Health experts say the heroin epidemic is partially to blame on a rise in prescription painkillers.

The sale of these drugs has quadrupled since 1999, and so has the number of Americans dying from an addiction to them. When prescriptions run out, people find themselves turning to the cheaper alternative heroin and, increasingly, the even more deadly drug fentanyl.

President Obama's plan comes as opioid deaths, whether caused by pain pills or heroin, jumped 372 percent from 2000 to 2014.

West Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Kentucky and Ohio had America's five deadliest rates.

"The only way that we reduce demand is if we provide treatment and treat this as a health problem, not just a criminal problem," said President Obama during a heroin summit in March.

According to USA Today, the Justice Department directive will be sent to all 94 U.S. attorney offices next week.

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