CDC report raises alarm about N.H. drug use

N.H. ranked high for per capita prescriptions of OxyContin, fentanyl and other long-acting opioids

Gov. Maggie Hassan is calling the rising rate of substance use in New Hampshire a critical public health issue in the wake of a federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that ranked New Hampshire third in the nation for per capita prescriptions of OxyContin, fentanyl and other long-acting opioids.

Nationwide, New Hampshire was 39th in the country for per capita prescriptions of opioid pain relievers in 2012 – 71.7 prescriptions per 100 people – according to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But when it came to long-lasting/extended release opioids, New Hampshire had the third-highest prescribing rate in the nation, with 19.6 prescriptions issued per 100 people.

The state also ranked seventh for high-dose opioid pain relievers, at 6.1 prescriptions per 100 people. The CDC said the Northeast outranked other regions in its prescription rates for high-dose and long-acting opioids.

The CDC also examined the prescription rate for benzodiazepines (Xanax or Valium, for example), and found that New Hampshire was 21st in the nation with prescribers issuing these at a rate of 41.2 per 100 people.

 “The rising rate of substance use in New Hampshire, especially for highly addictive opioids, is one of our most serious public health and safety challenges,” Gov. Maggie Hassan said. “Prescription drug abuse, which is often linked to heroin use, remains high, and the Centers for Disease Control report reinforces this alarming trend.”