BY KVAL MONDAY, MARCH 7TH 2016

EUGENE, Ore. -- Opioid and prescription drug use has become a big problem across the United States and Oregon ranks as one of the worst states.

Now, a new bill could help combat that epidemic as congress looks at a new approach to battling drug addiction.

Congress says Oregon ranks fourth when it comes to using opioids for non-medical reasons.

In Eugene, there were 191 heroin-related arrests in 2015.

The US Senate cast its first votes Monday on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA).

If passed, the Act will try to change the focus of combating addiction from incarceration to treatment, education and prevention.

"What I see, investing in prevention is that we will prevent it from being as bad as it could be," says Jason Davis with Lane County Health and Human Services. "That's really where the money's at and that's what this law really enables us to do."

The Bill also has items to expand education about drugs and promote programs to safely dispose of prescription meds.