Gov. Baker Vows to Quickly Fight Massachusetts' Opiate Problem

Gov. Charlie Baker says he wants to move quickly to begin addressing the state's opiate addiction problem.

Baker said Thursday that he plans to name a small group of people familiar with the problem and have them hold public hearings over the next few months.

Baker said he doesn't want to take too long before deciding on what action to take, but he wants to give people who have struggled with addiction and their families a chance to comment.

Baker made the comments during his first "Ask the Governor" radio show on WGBH-FM.

Baker said there were close to 1,000 deaths in 2013 in Massachusetts attributable to opiate overdoses, including heroin.

Attorney General-elect Maura Healey also has put the fight against opiate addiction at the top of her priority list.