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New Task Force Looks at Oklahoma Prescription Drug Problem

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State and federal agencies have formed a new task force that's focused on crimes related to the opioid epidemic in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City television station KWTV reports the newly-formed Western Oklahoma Opioid Enforcement Team will focus its efforts not just on drug dealers but also on over-prescribing doctors and pharmacists.

Officials said they would soon be launching a real-time tracker of overdoses in the state, so that they can more quickly investigate and prosecute those responsible.

The announcement of the new task force comes as a grand jury last week handed down indictments against two doctors based in Sayre for allegedly over-prescribing opioids, at times while they were not even seeing patients.