Congressman Holds Round Table In Hopes Of Halting Growing Drug Problem

An Oklahoma congressman met with experts Thursday, in hopes of finding ways to halt Oklahoma's fastest growing drug problem.

Congressman Markwayne Mullin says there are more accidental overdose deaths linked to opioid abuse than there are from car crashes in Oklahoma.

And, he says most of those deaths are women between 45 and 57 years old.

Opioids are the most common medications prescribed to relieve pain - they include drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin and Percocet.

Mullin hosted a roundtable discussion in Claremore to hear from those on the frontlines - law enforcement leaders and healthcare workers.

"As we heard at this roundtable, there's more deaths from opioid accidental overdoses than all the other drugs combined. That's a scary statistic when you think that these drugs are being prescribed and we're taking them home," the congressman said.

Mullin questions whether that strong of a narcotic should even be available.