Approximately 200 people, including New Futures Executive Director Linda Saunders Paquette, attended the Prescription Drug Summit hosted by the Governor's Commission on Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment on October 3, 2011 in Concord. The summit was convened to highlight the seriousness of prescription drug abuse in New Hampshire and to identify strategies to address the problem.
Tym Rourke, Chair of the Governor's Commission, framed the day by reviewing the national and state data showing that abuse of prescription drugs and deaths caused by prescription drugs have risen dramatically over the past decade. New Hampshire is one of 16 states where drug induced deaths now exceed motor vehicle deaths in a given year. Governor John Lynch welcomed the attendees and underscored the importance of finding effective ways to reduce the harm caused by prescription drug abuse.
During the course of the day the attendees, who included policymakers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, military personnel, mental health and substance abuse providers, and advocates, broke into small groups to identify and prioritize strategies to address New Hampshire's prescription drug problem. The Governor's Commission will continue to focus on this issue as a priority during the upcoming year.
