Prescription Drug Abuse a Problem in NH

Prescription drug abuse in New Hampshire is higher than the national average and higher than other states in the northeast, according to a new study.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services says data from 2011 shows that approximately one in eight (12.3 percent) of young adults here in the Granite State reported abusing pain relievers in the past year. New Hampshire also saw its highest number of drug related deaths ever in 2011, 80 percent of which involved prescription drugs.

Although the statistics are higher for New Hampshire than other states, DHHS officials said they see signs of a possible shift in behaviors, with the number of drug related deaths lower in 2012 and the rate of young adult pain reliever abuse down from a peak of 14.9 percent in 2010.

"The 2012 data appears a little better, but we don't have enough information to determine if the changes indicate a clear and positive change in the trend," said Joe Harding, director of DHHS' Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services. "Unfortunately, we are seeing some individuals dependent on prescription pain medication switching to heroin as a cheaper and more available substitute."

To read the Issue Brief “Prescription Pain Medication Misuse,” visit the DHHS website.