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Hassan Signs Executive Order Creating Committee on Drug Overdose Deaths

Paige Sutherland/NHPR
So far 70 percent of the 286 people who died from a drug overdose in New Hampshire was the result of fentanyl laced heroin.

Governor Maggie Hassan signed an executive order Wednesday calling for the creation of the state’s first ever committee designed to analyze drug overdose deaths. 

Members will include people from the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, and from the treatment, recovery and prevention community.  

Hassan says bringing experts to the table to examine data, trends and patterns of overdose deaths will better inform policy recommendations and ensure resources get to the front lines.

The committee, officially known as the Drug Overdose Fatality Review Committee, was part of drug czar James Vara’s recommendationsfrom August. 

Members will be charged with issuing two reports a year – the first one by April 12th. 

So far this year at least 286 peoplehave died from a drug overdose with 89 cases still pending.  

Gov. Maggie Hassan's Executive Order 2016-05

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