Authorities in Florida say an average of 15 state residents are dying from opioid overdoses every day.
The epidemic was the topic of a roundtable of state and local officials held Tuesday.
It took place in Palm Beach County, which is the number one county in the state when it comes to opioid overdose deaths.
Vice Mayor Melissa McKinlay says there were almost 400 deaths during the first six months of this year, 100 more than during the same period last year.
State Senator Kevin Rader of Boca Raton says the state needs an "action plan" to deal with the opioid crisis, similar to the one created last year to handle the Zika virus.