NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —Gov. Bill Haslam has a plan to quell prescription drug abuse, which has become a scourge across the state.
The Tennessean reports Haslam intends to announce details of the seven-point plan Tuesday. The state estimates that nearly 70,000 residents have serious addictions to controlled substances.
Addiction experts say they fear drug users will just turn to heroin, which has been making a comeback across the nation.
Dr. Terry Alley with Cumberland Heights says addicts will need access to effective treatment for the state strategy to work.
State officials declined to give specifics of the plan before Tuesday, but a spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services says treatment is a key component of the plan.