President Barack Obama will headline a prescription drug abuse summit in Atlanta on March 29 aimed at developing new guidelines for prescribing pain medications.

The White House said Tuesday that Obama will speak at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, which is billed as the largest gathering of professionals and advocates involving prescription drug abuse and heroin abuse.

The Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week issued new recommendations for primary care providers, who account for nearly half of all opioid prescriptions, to crack down on potential abuse. The White House also sent letters to every governor urging more state involvement in “turning the tide” of the drug and heroin epidemic.

Obama has proposed spending $1.1 billion this year for new funding to expand access to medication-assisted treatment and counseling for opioid use disorders.

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John King, pictured here in the northern Afghanistan city of Kunduz in 2010, served as a senior military adviser to Afghanistan's Minister of the Interior. (Courtesy of Commissioner John King)

Credit: Courtesy Commissioner John King

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Atlanta art and antiques appraiser and auctioneer Allan Baitcher (right) takes bids during a 2020 auction. Baitcher and his company, Peachtree Antiques, are being sued by a Florida multimillionaire who says he paid them $20 million for fakes. (AJC 2020)

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