Recent Charges Tossed After Subjects Produce State Cards Two years after Maine voters passed the medical marijuana bill, law enforcement is dealing with the complexity of the otherwise illegal substance being grown, distributed and legally used by more than 260 patients in York County and more than 2,300 people statewide. "There is a constant tension between the medical marijuana program and the ability for law enforcement to regulate criminal activity," said Ken Albert, director of the Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services, which manages the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program. [continues 671 words]
SEABROOK - A drug bust in Seabrook has netted the largest cache of crystal methamphetamine ever seized in New England. The 12 pounds of crystal methamphetamine was produced in "super labs" in Mexico, said U.S. Attorney Thomas Colantuono on Thursday. It was brought from Mexico to Georgia to Seabrook for distribution in New England, an open market for methamphetamine, a highly addictive manufactured drug that gives a quick high. Drug Enforcement Administration officers and Seabrook police arrested two men in front of Lowe's on Route 1 on Oct. 24. The meth was allegedly hidden in their motor vehicle. [continues 366 words]
U.S. Rep. Jeb Bradley said he will carefully study the need for federal funds to fight the war on drugs in New Hampshire after a meeting in Concord this month with the state associate attorney general, the Rockingham County sheriff, police chiefs and officers. At least two, including Rockingham County Sheriff Daniel Linehan, told Bradley money spent on homeland security grants should be redirected. "One thing interested me during that conversation - the amount of objection everyone had to the amount of money the federal government has spent on grant-supplied equipment after 9/11," Linehan said. "I'm not sure some of that money needed to be spent for that purpose." [continues 867 words]
HAMPTON - Alcohol and marijuana use among Winnacunnet High School students has declined in the last four years, according to the results of a Youth Risk Behavior Survey. However, a greater percentage of Winnacunnet students smoke cigarettes, use cocaine, or have tried heroin than the state average, according to survey results. The reason for the greater percentage of Winnacunnet High School students showing higher use could be attributed to the error rate built into the state survey, according to Jeffrey Metzger, senior management analyst for the survey. [continues 364 words]
SEABROOK - Mandatory drug testing of all town employees, including those elected, is unconstitutional, Seabrook's attorney has advised selectmen. In March, voters passed by a 3-to-1 margin a petitioned warrant article requiring random drug and alcohol tests for anyone working for the town. The town adopted a drug policy in 1998. It stipulates random drug testing for town employees carrying a commercial driver's license. Other town employees may be tested if there is a reasonable suspicion they're abusing drugs or alcohol, said Town Manager Fred Welch. The policy does not apply to elected officials, he said. [continues 196 words]
SEABROOK - It's not a question of if, but when, the meth epidemic will hit the state. So say Seabrook police, who on the border of Massachusetts await the next illegal drug influx like sailors looking toward a coming storm. "Heroin is traditionally cheap and available," said Seabrook Police Officer Jeffrey Stackpole. "This, unfortunately, is the drug of the future we're dealing with." Unlike heroin, which infected Seabrook as an "epidemic," according to the State Police Narcotics Unit, methamphetamines will require no clandestine trips to Lowell or Lawrence, Mass., to secure the drug. [continues 537 words]
HAMPTON - Winnacunnet High School's planned drug forum in January seems all the more appropriate following this past week's seizure of 400 pounds of marijuana that was headed for the Seacoast and southern Maine. "We see a lot of it in the area," said Hampton Police Chief William Wrenn on Thursday. "It's not surprising the police recovered that amount of marijuana and that it was headed to the Seacoast area." Marijuana and heroin are the two most common drugs in the Seacoast, according to Wrenn. [continues 639 words]
SEABROOK - When Winnacunnet High School seniors Heather Fritz and Arlee Stankatis of Seabrook searched for a topic for their senior seminar project, they needed to look no further than their local police department. The 17-year-olds had heard and read much about Seabrook's heroin and drug problem, which was called "epidemic" last year by Ellen Arcieri of the state Narcotics Investigation Unit. They wanted to find out for themselves just what was going on in town. Fritz and Stankatis contacted the Seabrook Police Department, and found a bevy of officers willing to give more than 20 hours of their time helping them research the topic. [continues 361 words]
SEABROOK - From an initiative started by former police chief William Baker, the Seabrook Police Department is starting a "Seabrook Drug Coalition of the Willing" to help drug- and alcohol-addicted residents. Sgt. Michael Frost is coordinating the program under the direction of acting Chief David Currier and acting Deputy Chief Patrick Manthorn. Frost is looking for residents willing to sign on as volunteers to help their neighbors and strangers overcome drug and alcohol addiction. Those willing are asked to call the police department at 474-5200. [continues 519 words]
SEABROOK - Passage of a petitioned warrant article mandating random drug-and-alcohol testing for all town employees, including volunteers who serve on town boards, raised a host of questions Wednesday at the Board of Selectmen's meeting. The warrant article, which passed 1,521 votes to 464, is now a town ordinance, Town Manager Fred Welch said. Volunteers serving on boards such as the Planning Board and the Budget Committee will be subject to the new ordinance, said Welch. So will those who volunteer to coach sport teams or who teach classes at the Seabrook Recreation Department. [continues 426 words]
HAMPTON - Floyd Jozitis, Winnacunnet High School's part-time drug and alcohol counselor, says he has a caseload of 49 students - enough to keep him busy full-time. "Forty-nine is a case load for two mental health counselors," said Jozitis who works at the high school just on Fridays. "They need a full-time counselor." His office is located in a small closet of space behind the teachers' cafeteria and student cafeteria. "In this job, I'm just planting seeds," he said. "I don't have an hour with each child. I have 15 minutes." [continues 966 words]
SEABROOK - After a long debate whether the position of school resource officer should be paid by the school, the police, or both, the Seabrook Police Department has agreed to fund the position. The position of Resource Officer James Deshaies will save the department $20,000 this year because Deshaies' job is being paid out of a fully funded but vacant lieutenant's position, Chief William Baker told the Board of Selectmen on Wednesday. "I want to come back on the lieutenant position and rank structure," Baker told the board. "I've not always been a fan of specialization. They'll be seeing me in the schools and other officers in the schools." [continues 448 words]
