St. Louis, MO  (KTRS)  The city of St. Louis has a new tool for fighting prescription drug abuse.

On Tuesday, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay signed a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program into law.

“People who died from heroin in the city of St. Louis last year ranged from the ages of 19 to 68. Drug overdose is the number one cause of injury relate death in the United States and 3 out of 4 new heroin uses started by mis-using prescription drugs.” said Slay.

St. Louis County established a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program back in March.

The primary sponsor of the bill, Alderwoman Lyda Krewson, says she believes this program will make a difference.

“I think that we all know that the abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opiods, has led to an epidemic of opiate and heroin deaths. Many medical experts believe that the heroin epidemic is a direct result of the lack of oversight for prescription drugs.” said Krewson.

Missouri is the only state without a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.