The head of Ohio's addictions agency plans to talk about new data showing state residents still dying from drug overdoses at record rates.
Orman Hall is director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. He also will use a news conference Tuesday afternoon to push for addiction treatment and other health care services for all Ohioans.
Data released last week show the number of people who died of accidental overdoses jumped 14 percent in 2011 for a total of over 17 hundred overall deaths.
The Department of Health figures place the blame on prescription painkillers and also a worsening heroin problem.
The continued increase comes as Ohio has launched numerous efforts to crack down on illegal prescription painkiller use and distribution.