Task Force: Opioid Abuse an Epidemic in Mass.

Massachusetts is in the midst of an epidemic of deadly opioid abuse, according to a task force created by Gov. Charlie Baker that said Monday that drug addiction must be considered a medical disease.

The 18-member group released a series of recommendations in the areas of prevention, education, intervention, and treatment and recovery, after holding a series of meetings around the state in recent months.

"Over the past decade, more than 6,600 members of our community have died because of opioids, and behind those deaths are thousands of hospital stays, emergency department visits, and unquantifiable human suffering inflicted upon individuals, families and our communities," the task force said in an overview of the report.

Since addiction often begins with the abuse of prescription painkillers, the task force's many recommendations include strengthening the state's prescription-monitoring program and requiring education in safe prescribing practices. It also calls for appointing addiction specialists to state boards that oversee doctors, nurses, physician assistants and dentists.

The report seeks a change in the state's civil commitment law that would allow an individual with a substance abuse problem to be taken, involuntarily if necessary, for assessment.

It also calls on the Legislature to make the anti-overdose drug naloxone more affordable for first responders through a bulk purchasing programs.

The task force called for a public awareness campaigned that would focus on "reframing addiction as a medical disease," and promoting drug take-back programs.

The report said 100 new treatment beds are needed by July 2016 and calls for an increase in the number of office-based opioid treatment programs in community health centers.