The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration gave insight to the community, on the current opioid crisis is plaguing the nation, and how they plan to stop it.

“In the United the States, one person dies every nine minutes from a drug overdose,” said Dr. Thayer McGahee.

USC Aiken officials believe that is an alarming death rate. So they brought in an expert from the DEA to educate the community and students about the current opioid epidemic.

“What I’m hoping is that students will hear from Mr. Dhillion is how this administration is shaping policy related to the opioid epidemic,” said Dr. Sandra Jordan. Opioids are painkillers, and they include Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and Fentynal. 

One student told NewsChannel 6 reporter Devin Johnson, she is attending the “Signature Speakers Series” so she can prevent the harmful effects in her community.

“It’s very important that one in every nine minutes, that person could be down the street and you wouldn’t even know,” explained Q’May Qourters.

Featured speaker Uttam Dhillion says the DEA’s top priority is to prosecute drug traffickers. 

“Drug traffickers should be expected to be arrested and charged for the serious offensives they are responsible for,” said Dhillion.

He says The Department of Justice and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration have proposed a reduction for controlled substances that could be in place next year. 

“To me, it’s common sense, the more we reduce access to drugs, the fewer drugs are to be abused,” said Dillion.

USC Aiken’s School of Nursing dean says much of the prevention, starts with the prescription. 

“As health care providers we need to know what is the safe amount, how long they should take it,” explained Dr. Thayer. “We need to educate for that and not prescribe them more what is needed.”

The National Academics of Science, Engineering, and Medicine reports, more people die from opioid overdoses than people killed in The Vietnam War and the Korean War, or any conflict since the end of World War II.