COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio doctors can prescribe only seven days of opioids for adults in acute pain, under new rules that begin Thursday. Children are limited to five days.

The rules, announced in March and reiterated Wednesday by state medical leaders and Gov. John Kasich, are an attempt to curb dependence on the drugs. The rules could reduce the amount of opioids prescribed by 109 million doses in Ohio, ground zero for opioid overdose deaths.

The regulations will require doctors, dentists, physician assistants and others who prescribe the drugs to include the diagnosis or procedure code on all opioid prescriptions beginning Dec. 29. That information will be used to track whether people are being overprescribed. Medical professionals will face sanctions if there are problems.

"If you're a dentist, doctor, I don't care who you are, you violate these guidelines, the medical board will come after you," Kasich said. "And you will be disciplined and perhaps even lose your license."

Since January 2016, Ohio has had voluntary guidelines on prescribing opioids, Kasich said. The voluntary program built support for rules to limit opioid prescriptions.

The rules will not apply to opioid prescriptions written for chronic pain or for cancer, palliative and hospice care or for medicines that assist with addiction treatment.

State Rep. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican who is a member of Ohio House leadership, said the new regulations "will stem the supply chain of opioids prescription drugs that, unfortunately, oftentimes lead to addiction and oftentimes death," he said.

People addicted to heroin and other street opioids frequently report they first got hooked by being prescribed morphine, codeine, oxycodone or hydrocodone.

Peggy Miller of Marion said she became addicted to opioids in 2007, when she injured her shoulder at work and received a prescription for pain. The need to fuel her addiction, she said, caused her to once purposely throw herself down a flight of stairs to get a prescription for the injury. She also underwent unnecessary surgery to get opioids for recovery.

She's been clean and sober since March 2013 and now works to help other addicts turn around their lives, she said.

"People are dying over this," she said. "And I am so humbled and happy that you guys have made this such an important issue today, because years ago it was not."