File Photo: U.S. first lady Melania Trump announces the launch of her "Be Best" initiative in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 7, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday called the opioid epidemic the "worst drug crisis" in the American history, as she urged more public attention to it.

Speaking at Liberty University in Lynchburg, state of Virginia, Mrs. Trump talked about the importance of understanding the severe and fatal effects of opioids and eliminating the stigma surrounding drug dependence.

She said "opioid addiction is an illness that has truly taken hold of our country" while calling for more public discussion about the opioid epidemic so that people can get help.

The Trump administration has declared a "national health emergency" in the wake of the crisis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 130 people in the United States die each day due to overdosing on opioids.

In 2017, those overdoses accounted for more than 72,000 deaths, more than any previous year on record. In 2016, an estimated 40 percent of opioid deaths involved a prescription drug.

Taking on the opioid epidemic is a pillar of the first lady's "Be Best" youth initiative, which was launched in May.

Secretary Alex Azar of Health and Human Services and Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen of Homeland Security accompanied Mrs. Trump to Lynchburg.

Later this week, the first lady is due to accompany the president to the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.