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ST. LOUIS - White House Drug Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske will visit St. Louis Tuesday to urge Missouri to adopt a prescription-drug tracking program. Missouri is the only state that has refused to implement such a program.

Columbia Police told KOMU in May that there is a growing trend of prescription-drug abuse in Missouri. Detective and specialist in narcotics, Jeff Rukstad, told KOMU the increasing abuse of prescription opiates such as oxycodone, codeine, and Percocet is the cause of increased heroine abuse in Columbia.

The Missouri Senate debated legislation that would adopt a drug tracking program earlier this spring. Opponents of the legislation cited privacy concerns. No legislation was passed.