NH DHHS - Ten Regional Strategic Prevention Plans Completed

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

(DHHS) Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services (BDAS) is excited to announce

the completion of ten Regional Network Strategic Plans developed to address

substance abuse prevention across the State. Collectively Regions engaged

over 2,507 stakeholders in forums and planning meetings to complete the

community-level data driven planning process in the production of these

plans.



“We know that alcohol and other drug problems, particularly non-medical use

of prescription pain medication, use of marijuana as well as underage and

binge drinking, are creating significant issues for individuals, families

and communities across the state,” said BDAS Director Joe Harding. “To

give you just one example, for the first time prescription drug related

deaths (174 in 2010) have outpaced all traffic related fatalities over the

past two years. I commend each of the regional networks in developing these

plans that will address the particular issues for each of these 10 regions

covering every area of the state.”



The development of these plans has been a collaborative effort involving

the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, along with support from the

Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, Intervention

and Treatment. The plans focus on alcohol and other drug prevention

efforts at a regional level over the next several years, and will be

incorporated into the State’s larger alcohol and other drug policy and

services plan.



Historically substance abuse prevention efforts in New Hampshire consisted

of educational and one-time events that had limited impact on prevention

substance misuse and disorders. As the field has evolved, it has adopted a

public health approach to substance use prevention. Effective substance

efforts must be comprehensive; in that, they must include multiple types of

prevention efforts as prevention needs to reach all levels of society. It

has been proven that data-driven and community-based prevention is more

effective.



In 2005 New Hampshire received a Federal grant from Substance Abuse and

Mental Health Services administration for the Strategic Prevention

Framework. BDAS then launched a Regional approach to preventing Substance

abuse across the State. In 2007, the State contracted with ten Regional

coalitions, which was the genius of the prevention structure and approach.

Prevention groups have been working for the past year to develop a local

community based plan that will address Prevention issues within their

Region. As a collective the following substances are prioritized within

strategic plan: marijuana, underage and binge drinking, and non-medical

prescription drug use. Visit:

http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/bdas/prevention.htm#plans to view the

three-year Regional Network Strategic Plans.

U.S. Rep. Frank Guinta statement on the death of Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney

(Washington – April 13, 2012)    Congressman Frank Guinta (NH-01) released the following statement regarding the death of Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney and the wounding of four other law enforcement officials during the shooting in Greenland last evening.

“My thoughts and prayers, along with those of my wife Morgan, are with the family of Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney. Chief Maloney was a beloved figure in Greenland and throughout the New Hampshire law enforcement community.  He will be deeply missed and our condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.

“We also continue our prayers for the four officers who were injured in the incident:  Detective Eric Kulberg of the University of New Hampshire Police Department, Detective Gregory Turner of the Dover Police Department, Detective Scott Kukesh of the Newmarket Police Department, and Detective Jeremiah Murphy of the Rochester Police Department. We are hopeful for their full recovery.

“Thursday’s incident reminds us of the dedication displayed by all of New Hampshire’s first responders.  Day in and day out, they serve us with the upmost professionalism and dignity. In the wake of yesterday’s tragic events, we remind all members of our law enforcement community that all Granite Staters stand behind them in full support and appreciation of their bravery and sacrifice.”

NH Deputy Speaker Tucker Statement on Greenland Police Shooting

CONCORD – House Deputy Speaker Pam Tucker, of Greenland, today offered the following statement regarding the shooting of five police officers in Greenland, including the fatal wounding of the police chief of that community.

House Deputy Speaker Pam Tucker

“Today in Greenland, our hearts are broken.  We have lost our wonderful police chief, and a good friend.  This horrific tragedy has put a hole through the center of our community, and we are in shock over the loss to our town.

“We mourn the loss of our beloved Chief Michael Maloney and my heart and prayers go out to his family, as well as to the other officers who were injured last night.  As a community, we will join together to support these families and show our strength in overcoming this terrible blow.  Now is a time for healing and I would ask everyone to keep these brave men and the residents of Greenland in your thoughts and prayers.”

GOV. GARY JOHNSON: GINGRICH WOULD HAVE TAKEN WAR ON DRUGS TO A LETHAL LEVEL

Former Speaker Proposed Death Penalty for Bringing 2 Ozs. Of Marijuana Into U.S.

January 23, 2012, New York, NY -- Appearing on MSNBC Saturday, former New Mexico Governor and presidential candidate Gary Johnson reminded viewers that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich sponsored legislation (text below) in 1996 that would have imposed the death penalty for Americans caught bringing as little as 2 ounces of marijuana into the country.

Video here:Gary Johnson Talks About Newt Gingrich Proposing Death Penalty for Carrying 2 Oz. of Marijuana

In a statement released today, Johnson elaborated, “Ideas are important, especially in a presidential campaign. But some of Speaker Gingrich’s ideas over the years are nothing short of scary. Under his legislation, anyone coming home to the U.S. and caught carrying enough marijuana (2 oz.) to distribute would be sentenced to life imprisonment with no parole – or if caught twice, would be sentenced to death.

“This from someone who has admitted his own past marijuana use, saying ‘it was a sign we were alive and in graduate school’. And in 1981, Mr. Gingrich actually introduced legislation providing for the ‘therapeutic use of marijuana. (HR 4498, 97th Congress)

“On drug policy alone, I am beginning to see what Rick Santorum means when he talks about the former Speaker having an idea a minute. We are talking about millions of Americans’ lives here, and having positions ranging from embracing medical marijuana to the death penalty for possessing a small amount of that same substance is astounding both in its hypocrisy and its inconsistency.

“The War on Drugs is a failure, and bold steps are in order to align drug policy with reality and humanity. But Newt Gingrich’s notion of bold is not what we need.”About Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson: Gary Johnson, two-term Governor of New Mexico from 1994-2002, has been a consistent and outspoken advocate for limited, efficient government and personal liberty.

# # # #

Text of Gingrich Legislation:

H.R. 4170 (Drug Importer Death Penalty Act of 1996) to the House of Representatives sought to “provide a sentence of death for certain importations of significant quantities of controlled substances”.

Section 2: Increased Penalties For International Drug Trafficking

Section 1010 of the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act (21 U.S.C. 960) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(e)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court shall sentence a person convicted of a violation of subsection (a), consisting of bringing into the United States a mixture or substance-- (A) which is described in subsection (b)(1); and (B) in an amount the Attorney General by rule has determined is equal to 100 usual dosage amounts of such mixture or substance; to imprisonment for life without possibility of release. If the defendant has violated this subsection on more than one occasion and the requirements of chapter 228 of title 18, United States Code, are satisfied, the court shall sentence the defendant to death. (2) The maximum fine that otherwise may be imposed, but for this subsection, shall not be reduced by operation of this subsection.' September 25, 1996, 104th Congress (1995 - 1996), H.R.4170

For more information, please visit www.garyjohnson2012.com.

Gary Johnson Talks Marijuana Reform and Rational Drug Policy

examiner .com

Gary Johnson Talks Marijuana Reform and Rational Drug Policy

By Craig Schlesinger, Nashville Libertarian Examiner

January 10, 2012

Gary Johnson’s presidential campaign employs an aggressive social media strategy to deliver his message directly to voters, from conference calls with bloggers, to House Hangouts via Google Plus, to online town hall events courtesy of Yowie.com.

Last night, Governor Johnson and Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Rob Kampia co-hosted one such online town hall to address marijuana and rational drug policy reform. Over 1,500 viewers tuned in to the live stream and plenty of questions ensued. For over 90 minutes Johnson and Kampia were more than happy to engage with the audience; a stark contrast to most status-quo political campaigns that hide behind spokesman, advertisements, and talking heads in the establishment press to avoid direct interaction with the citizenry.

The event can be viewed in its entirety on Yowie.com, but some of the key aims of Johnson’s drug policies (as President) are to legalize marijuana, decriminalize the use of other drugs, pardon all nonviolent drug offenders in federal prison, re-schedule marijuana from a Class I narcotic, order the DEA to end drug raids, advocate harm reduction strategies, and prevent employers from discriminating against employees who aren’t impaired on the job yet chose to consume marijuana on their own time (much like alcohol).

Moreover, Johnson believes the country is already on the verge of legalizing marijuana: 

"When we do that, and when everybody realizes that the sky isn’t going to fall, that [the] world is actually a better place to wake up to tomorrow because we legalize pot today, that then we’re going to take a much different look at all these other drugs.”

“The first thing we do when it comes to all other drugs, is we first look at drugs as a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue. And I just see giant strides made across the board, but we start with marijuana.”

“In fact, the world [will be] a better place because the police are actually able to go out and enforce the laws … and actually address real crime as opposed to victimless crime.”

This is one of the main focuses of a libertarian approach to drug policy as well as other individual liberty-driven issues that tend to be demonized by the morally self-righteous, something Governor Johnson understands all too well. Consenting adults engaging in non-violent transactions are being criminalized for behavior that (arguably) harms no one other than themselves. This country was founded on the notion of liberty and the personal responsibility that accompanies the benefits of living in a free society, and Johnson intends to restore that liberty to these states united.

Article

Visit Governor Johnson's website http://www.garyjohnson2012.com