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Deaths from prescription drug overdoses are on the rise according to the latest statistics released from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

56-hundred Floridians died of drug overdoses last year. That’s more than seven a day. The statistics are from 2010, before a new law giving the state more regulatory authority over pain clinics went into effect. Keith Kameg, a spokesman with FDLE, says there are already signs this year the 2011 statistics will be better and that Florida will shed it’s title as pill mill capitol of the country.

“The simple fact is the numbers are trending down, a lot of people are working and hopefully in just a few months, a year, Florida will no longer have that title,” said Kameg.

Purchases of Oxycodone during the first five months of 2011 compared to the first five of 2010 are down 17 percent. Also raids on clinics have resulted in 937 arrests. Doctors accounted for 17 of those arrested.