BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A conference in Buffalo will explore "harm reduction" strategies to the opioid crisis.

Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein is among 150 service providers, medical professionals and others scheduled to attend the daylong session on Friday.

It's organized by Evergreen Health in Buffalo and the Drug Policy Alliance. Harm reduction strategies are things like supervised consumption sites, syringe access, decriminalizing drugs and using medication like methadone in treatment.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that drug overdoses killed a record 72,000 people in the country last year.

More From WIBX 950