Pubdate: Sat, 31 Jan 2004
Source: Union Leader (NH)
Copyright: 2004 The Union Leader Corp.
Contact:  http://www.theunionleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/761

BENSON TO NAME NH DRUG CZARS UNION LEADER NEWS

Gov. Craig Benson plans to name three volunteers to serve as so-called
drug czars, people familiar with his plan said yesterday.

Benson used 70 words and 25 seconds in his State of the State address
Thursday to outline his plan, but many listening were left wondering
just what the governor has in mind.

His press secretary, Wendell Packard, said the governor will provide
details in the next few weeks and that the general idea is to use
volunteer "drug czars" to provide advice to the governor, much like
other advisory boards.

While marijuana and cocaine use are long-standing issues, heroin has
grown in popularity and purity, making it a more lethal threat, say
health officials.

Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen said he has talked
with Benson policy adviser Keith Herman over the past few weeks about
the drug czar idea.

"It is not going to be as much of a law enforcement twist as people
may think," Stephen said.

Commissioner of Safety Richard Flynn said yesterday he has not had a
chance to discuss the idea directly with Benson yet.

"Having someone take a good hard look at what we can do to solve the
problems is something that I applaud," he said.

In his speech, Benson said, "New Hampshire continues to suffer from an
illicit drug problem. We should not stand by and watch our children
fall prey to addiction. Soon I will be appointing a drug czar task
force, with three drug czars coordinating and taking charge of the
drug problem in this state. This is a fight we cannot afford to lose
and, with the office of the drug czar, we will not lose."

Riley Regan, director of the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Prevention and Recovery, said the number of people referred to his
division for heroin and related drug addiction increased from 234 in
1995 to 787 in 2003. He said the number of addicts entering private
methadone clinics in the past three years went from 297 in 2001 to 465
in 2002, and 472 in 2003.

According to data from Regan's office, heaviest use is among adults
aged 21 to 44. In 2003, they accounted for three of four referrals.

Regan said that many addicts don't show up in state data. "We are
talking about the tip of an iceberg where we see the worst parts of
it," he said.

Democrats on Thursday criticized plans to appoint new drug officials
six months after Benson signed a budget that cut funds for drug and
alcohol abuse treatment.

Regan said the House tried to pull all funding from the treatment
budget, which ended up cut just under $2 million.

"In fairness to the governor, his initial budget fully funded the
budget at $5 million each year," he said
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin