State of New Hampshire Archives: on Drugs


Bill O`Brien: Step one on opioids is to control Southern border

Step one in solving the Opioid Crisis is for our nation to get control of our Southern Border. Too many drugs flow over our border unstopped. For the protection our nation we must fix the southern border. I will continue to support law enforcement as they deal with this deadly crisis. I will work to fix our southern border. And, I will support treatment for those addicted.
Source: 2020 N.H. Senate campaign website BillObrien2020.com Dec 20, 2019

Steve Marchand: Suite of services to those in midst of opioid recovery

Q: What do you think needs to be done to tackle the opioid crisis?

Marchand: We need to continue to provide the resources that continue to give a suite of services to those in the midst of recovery, beyond simply detoxification of the addictive substance. Until recently, I think a lot of people in the world of politics saw recovery as largely detoxification. The reality is that if we simply just detoxify people and then we put folks back in a situation where addiction became the norm, the likelihood of relapsing is really high. I priced it out last year in that it would be an additional $8 to 10 million a year of resources that would provide a level of stability for local and regional recovery centers. I think it's a relatively low amount of money, that would improve lives, reduce costs, and directly address what New Hampshirites say is the most important issue facing us.

Source: N.H. Journal on 2018 New Hampshire gubernatorial race Apr 24, 2017

Steve Marchand: Legalize marijuana; tax it and regulate it

Q: You have previously discussed legalizing and taxing marijuana?

Marchand: I do favor the legalization, regulation, and taxation of marijuana. I do feel it would have a net positive impact in terms of lowering costs for law enforcement and judicial entities. I also think that it will improve health outcomes and reduce addiction rates, and it will generate revenue.

Source: N.H. Journal on 2018 New Hampshire gubernatorial race Apr 24, 2017

Steve Marchand: Fully fund drug courts & rehab instead of incarceration

Q: Let's talk about the state's response to the opioid crisis?

A: The good news is that the solution is not a ton of money, necessarily. It is some legislative changes, it is more effective use of the state's database. Some of it, frankly, is cultural. It requires that we have to be more aggressive in fully funding drug courts, to really get us in a position where we're not trying to punish and incarcerate, we're trying to rehabilitate and get towards recovery. And the wait list is where the real problem is--we have 13 health zones in the state--in most of those we have a waiting list. We have people on a weekly basis dying, waiting on the waiting list. So I sat down with a bunch of people trying to start recovery centers around the state, and did budgets with them. I asked them to price it out. The price tag? Smaller than you'd think--typically about $300,000-$500,000 a year on average, per recovery center. This is an $8-10 million initiative that I've been looking at.

Source: N.H. Public Radio on 2018 New Hampshire gubernatorial race Apr 24, 2017

Steve Marchand: Marijuana is not a gateway drug to other drugs

Q: Would you support decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, and if so, under what conditions?

A: I favor the legalization of marijuana. First of all, I do not think it's a gateway drug to other drugs. Second, we have seen lots of studies that we actually reduce use in certain groups. You legalize it, you regulate it, you tax it. We can actually help public health by reducing its use under 21 and doing it responsibly for those that, frankly, already doing it over the age of 21.

Source: N.H. Public Radio on 2018 New Hampshire gubernatorial race Apr 24, 2017

Colin Van Ostern: Decriminalize small amounts of marijuana

Marchand repeatedly pushed for legalized marijuana, a measure he said would raise revenue for a state that needs new money to pay for expanded programs. Not only that, he believes both opponents agree but refuse to admit it.

Van Ostern and Connolly called for decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana, with Connolly saying he would sign such a measure as governor.

Source: Portsmouth-Herald on 2016 N.H. Gubernatorial debate Jul 11, 2016

Mark Connolly: Would sign bill decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana

Marchand repeatedly pushed for legalized marijuana, a measure he said would raise revenue for a state that needs new money to pay for expanded programs. Not only that, he believes both opponents agree but refuse to admit it.

Van Ostern and Connolly called for decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana, with Connolly saying he would sign such a measure as governor.

Source: Portsmouth-Herald on 2016 N.H. Gubernatorial debate Jul 11, 2016

Derek Dextraze: Marijuana users do not go on to harder drugs

Q: Do you consider marijuana a gateway drug?"

A: Strongly Oppose - These findings are consistent with the idea of marijuana as a "gateway drug." However, most people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, "harder" substances. Also, cross-sensitization is not unique to marijuana. Alcohol and nicotine also prime the brain for a heightened response to other drugs and are, like marijuana, also typically used before a person progresses to other, more harmful substances.

Source: Email interview: 2016 N.H. gubernatorial race by OnTheIssues Mar 14, 2016

Bernie Sanders: Take marijuana out of the controlled substances list

Q: What to do about drug addiction?

CLINTON: Heroin is a major epidemic. I would like the federal government to offer $10 billion over ten years to work with states.

O'MALLEY: The number of heroin deaths is growing significantly. We have to tell doctors who are prescribing opiates that we cannot have this huge number of opiates out there.

SANDERS: Today we have more people in jail than any other country on earth, 2.2 million people. Predominantly African-American and Hispanic. We are spending $80 billion a year locking up Americans. I think we need a major effort to come together and end institutional racism. We need major reforms of a broken criminal justice system. What does that mean? It means that we have to rethink the so-called war on drugs which has destroyed the lives of millions of people, which is why I have taken marijuana out of the Controlled Substance Act. So that it will not be a federal crime.

Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Bernie Sanders: Treat addiction as a disease, not a crime

The number of heroin deaths is growing significantly. What do we do? For a start, we have to tell doctors who are prescribing opiates that we cannot have this huge number of opiates out there, where young people are taking them, getting hooked, and then going to heroin. Second, we need to understand that addiction is a disease, not a criminal activity. When somebody is addicted and seeking help, they should not have to wait months to get that help.
Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Hillary Clinton: $10B plan for opiate addiction over 10 years

Heroin is a major epidemic. I've heard some great ideas about how law enforcement is changing its behavior, how the recovery community is reaching out. I've laid out a five-point plan. I would like the federal government to offer $10 billion over ten years to work with states. We need to do more on the prescribing end. There are too many opioids being prescribed, and that leads directly to heroin addiction. We need more programs, so when somebody is ready to get help, there's a place to go.
Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Martin O`Malley: Opioid addiction crisis comes from over-prescribing

I expanded drug treatment funding within our city and then I expanded it in our state, and we were saving lives doing the things that work, intervening earlier, understanding the care that's required until we got hit with this opioid addiction, the over-prescribing. I have put forward $12 billion federal investment. We have to invest in local partnerships, and the best place to intervene is at the hospital.
Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Maggie Hassan: Opioid recommendations: drug courts & access to treatment

Today the New Hampshire legislature voted to create a Task Force to study measures to be taken to combat the opioid epidemic, and will review a set of common sense proposals from Governor Hassan, who I applaud for being a national leader on this issue.

I strongly encourage the Task Force to approve Governor Hassan's full package of recommendations, which address key objectives like improving access to treatment, providing law enforcement with new tools and resources, and establishing drug courts that have proven instrumental in helping to fight this scourge. Every day we delay another life is lost, a family is destroyed, and a community is sent into mourning. We must act now.

Source: Facebook posting by Mark Connolly on 2016 N.H. Senate race Nov 18, 2015

Mark Connolly: Combat opioid epidemic with drug court & access to treatment

Today the New Hampshire legislature voted to create a Task Force to study measures to be taken to combat the opioid epidemic, and will review a set of common sense proposals from Governor Hassan, who I applaud for being a national leader on this issue.

I strongly encourage the Task Force to approve Governor Hassan's full package of recommendations, which address key objectives like improving access to treatment, providing law enforcement with new tools and resources, and establishing drug courts that have proven instrumental in helping to fight this scourge. Every day we delay another life is lost, a family is destroyed, and a community is sent into mourning. We must act now.

Source: Facebook posting by Mark Connolly on 2016 N.H. governor race Nov 18, 2015

Jon Lavoie: Marijuana legalization has worked in Colorado

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Never legalize marijuana"?

A: No, This is a subject that has worked quite well for Colorado. NH should seriously consider learning from that state.

Source: Email interview for 2016 N.H. Governor race with OnTheIssues Oct 18, 2015

Maggie Hassan: $500,000 for drug task force teams, but drop 1 team out of 4

Our drug task force teams are critical, supporting the efforts of small police departments to combat the growing problem of drug crimes, particularly those involving prescription drugs. But because of federal funding cuts, we were going to be forced to drop to just one drug task force team. This budget provides $500,000 per year in general funds to allow us to continue operating three drug task force teams.
Source: 2013 State of the State N.H. Budget Address Feb 14, 2013

John Lynch: Decriminalize marijuana once concerns are addressed