Department Of Justice Launches Inaugural National Heroin And Opioid Awareness Week, September 19-23, 2016

          United States Attorney Emily Gray Rice announced that the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire will be joining the United States Department of Justice in recognizing National Heroin and Opioid Abuse Week from September 19, through September 23, 2016. 

          The purposes of this week of action are to prevent further opioid overdose tragedies, focus on enforcement priorities and underscore the critical importance of treatment resources.  To further these objectives, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire participated in the Rally4Recovery sponsored in Manchester by Hope for New Hampshire Recovery on September 17, 2016.  With the help of WMUR-TV Channel 9, United States Attorney Rice joined New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Jon DeLena, in producing a public service announcement sharing treatment resources.  United States Attorney Rice will also appear with Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard, Attorney General Foster and DEA ASAC DeLena to bring further awareness to the crisis on Jack Heath’s New Hampshire Today program on WGIR AM 610 and The Wave 96.7 FM on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

         Speaking about the week’s events, United States Attorney Rice stated: “As the public is all too well aware, our families, friends and co-workers are challenged by unprecedented levels of opioid addiction, fed by a tide of illicit drugs washing into New Hampshire.  Our communities, our law enforcement partners, our public officials, our medical and public health professionals, our treatment providers and so many others are working as hard as they can, every day, to stem this tide.  We are committed to working together to educate the community in order to prevent opioid abuse, to provide treatment to those who struggle with addiction and to bring to justice those who engage in the criminal conduct which floods our neighborhoods with illicit drugs and violence. For those who struggle with addiction or who know someone who is struggling, help is just a phone call away at New Hampshire’s Statewide Addiction Crisis Line, 1-844-711-HELP (4357).”     

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