Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT EVERRECORDED.THOSE FIGHTING THE CRISIS HEREIN THE GRANITE STATE SAY THEY --SAY WE ARE MAKING STRIDES.THE DRUG CRISIS THAT FIRSTRESPONDERS SEE ON A DAILY BASISCAPTURED IN DISTURBINGSTATISTICS THAT SHOW HOWFAR-REACHING THE EPIDEMIC IS.THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY PAINFULREMINDER OF HOW DEVASTATING THISHEROINE AND OPIOID -- THISHEROIN AND OPIOID EPIDEMIC IS.CHERISE: NEW HAMPSHIRE IS ONLYBEHIND WEST VIRGINIA AND OHIOWHEN IT COMES TO DRUG OVERDOSEDEATHS.>> WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW HEREIN WASHINGTON IS PROVIDE MOREFEDERAL RESOURCES TO THE FRONTLINES.CHERISE: FOR THE SECOND YEAR INA ROW, THE DRUG CRISIS ISAVERAGING THE AVERAGE AMERICANLIFE EXPECTANCY.THE CDC ALSO REVEALED THAT FORTHE FIRST TIME FENTANYL CLAIMEDMORE LIVES THAN ANY OTHER DRUGINCLUDING HEROIN.IT IS EASIER TO MANUFACTUREFOR THE DRUG MANUFACTURERS.CHERISE: CHRIS OF AMERICANMEDICAL RESPONSE SAYS SEEINGTHESE NUMBERS SHOWS HOW SEVERETHE PROBLEM IS BUT THERE IS SOMEGOOD NEWS COMING OUT OF NEWHAMPSHIRE THIS YEAR.>> WE WILL END THE YEAR ABOUT 30DEATHS BELOW WHERE WE WERE LASTYEAR IN MANCHESTER ALONE.30 FAMILIES ARE AROUND THIS YEARTHAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LASTYEAR.CHERISE: HE SAYS THE DATARESPONSE -- INSPIRES THEM TOWORK HARDER AND KEEP FIGHTINGFOR FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS.

Advertisement NH has third-highest rate of drug overdose deaths Overdose deaths reducing life expectancy in US, report says Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A new report shows that New Hampshire has the third-highest death rate linked to drug overdoses in the country."We're not going to give up, we're going to keep fighting,” said Chris Stawasz of American Medical Response.The drug crisis that first responders see on a daily basis is captured now in disturbing statistics that show just how far-reaching the epidemic is. "This is just an incredibly painful reminder of how devastating this heroin and opioid epidemic is in our state, obviously across the country," Sen. Maggie Hassan said.New Hampshire is behind only West Virginia and Ohio when it comes to drug overdose deaths with a rate of 39 deaths for every 100,000 people."What we need to do now here in Washington is provide more federal resources to the front lines,” Hassan said.For the second year in a row, the drug crisis is lowering the average American life expectancy. The CDC report also revealed that for the first time, fentanyl claimed more lives than any other drug, including heroin. "Fentanyl is much easier to manufacture for the drug dealers, so that's what they're going to gravitate to, but it is much more powerful than heroin," Stawasz said. He said these numbers show just how severe the problem is, but there is some good news coming out of New Hampshire this year. “We will end the year this year about 30 deaths below where we were last year in Manchester alone," Stawasz said, "Thirty people, 30 families that are around this year that wouldn't have been last year." They credit the safe stations with helping reduce the number of overdose deaths.