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There is an opiod epidemic in NH as in many other parts of the country. NH is among the worst state per capita. That said, we raised three kids here (Amherst NH) and it is a great place to raise a family. Unlike my relatives and friends in MA where my wife and I grew up, we could send our kids to public school. Many relatives, friends and co-workers in MA send their kids to public school from 7th or 9th grade onward at $20k+ per kid per year. No place is perfect, but NH comes close...
So sick of treating addicts with kid gloves as if they had some disease like cancer or MS.
They made the decision to stick a needle in their arm knowing full well what the risks are.
We are draining valuable resourses coddling these losers.
Working in a local radio station I see the police press releases (and every Fri we get a Nashua police rep in the studio for 1/2 hr to talk about things and frequent visits by the regional director of AMR - the ambulance service) and scour the states papers for daily news to read on-air in the AM show "Nashua this morning" on WSMN. I have some observations-
The addicts don't want fentanyl or carfentanil. It is added by dealers or others to heroin to increase profit margins. Overdoses from straight heroin are rare. It is the additives that are the cause of the vast bulk of overdose cases that require medical attention. An "Operation Granite Hammer" program as a joint Federal, State and local law enforcement program has been effective in rounding up dealers and Nashua has now the reputation as a place that dealers avoid. (Users travel outside to get their stuff) In addition both Manchester and Nashua have very effective programs called the "Safe Stations Intitiative" where anyone with a substance abuse problem can show up any any city Fire Station - 24hrs a day- and get full (free) assistance from social agencies including housing. No police are involved and even if the person shows up in possession of drugs, they are helped. Narcan - the anti-opiod drug used to revive overdose victims-is very effective; so much so that my friends in the EMT world (AMR) say that they have had to do repeat revivals on some people. ( Some people never learn.)
I grew up in the area and was just there visiting. If I ever moved back there I'd choose Gilford or Meredith. That's not an all inclusive list of good towns around there, just my preference. You couldn't pay me enough to raise a child in Laconia. As with all generalities, there are plenty of exceptions. There are a lot of good people in Laconia but unfortunately, also a lot of what you worry about.
The one thing I hate hearing and reading is that "drugs are everywhere". While that statement is quite literally true it obscures the fact that the severity of the problem is absolutely NOT the same everywhere. New England in general has a drug problem more severe than many other parts of the country. Laconia and Manchester NH have drug problems more severe than what you can find in other parts of NH. While I was visiting family back home we talked about this. If I ever moved back to NH my #1 worry would be keeping my child drug free. In some ways raising a child is like gambling. There is no guarantee that you will win (e.g. raise a drug free child) but what you can do is everything possible to put the odds in your favor. Some places increase the odds in your favor and some places decrease your odds. Laconia is such a place.
All that said, I could move back to places around the Lakes Region of NH. I would just be a little more on guard. I would keep my son busy as hell in sports, music, and family activities with nary a minute to spare.
I have lived in southern NH for over 30 years. I have not experienced any problem, including people, with drug problems. I must admit I live a mostly isolated life and do not go looking for problems.
I do have a close friend that has been sober for over forty years and works closely with Alcoholic Anonymous to this day. Some of their members are also drug addicted and trying to unhook themselves.
I believe much of the problem is the continued illegality of these drugs as well as marijuana. These drugs should be sold alongside alcohol in our State owned liquor stores. If this was done the supply of drugs would be stabilized, the quality and chemicals would be known and the price set just high enough to make the State a profit (to be used for detox as well as funding schools as is currently done with booze) but low enough to put the pushers out of business.
Do not mistake me for a hand wringing liberal on this problem. IMHO anybody found selling drugs directly selling drugs to high school kids in the parking lot should be taken to the grass and summarily shot. That would make distributing these things illegally way too expensive.
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