Hassan announces measures to combat drug abuse

Gov. Maggie Hassan’s office announced a list of twenty-two measures recommended by John G. Wozmak, the state’s Director of Substance Misuse and Behavioral Health. Wozmak called NH’s drug problem “a profound public health crisis that affects the quality and availability of the workforce, drains the economy of resources and interferes with economic growth.”

Gov. Hassan agreed, stating that "our heroin epidemic is the most pressing health and public safety challenge that we have as a state."

The recommended measures included increasing the availability of Narcan, reauthorizing Medicaid expansion, increasing the number of drug courts in NH, and better implementation of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program.

Wozmak’s position was created thanks to a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, but was not re-funded in the budget proposal recently vetoed by Hassan.