Corinne Dodge
Derry
Gov. Sununu,
While you were meeting with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions regarding the opioid crisis on July 12, I stood outside with many other New Hampshire citizens demonstrating our concern, anger, and sadness for the lives being destroyed by addiction.
One week before, I lost a family member, my grandson, to this deadly disease.
On July 23 I attended the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services-sponsored public hearing on a proposal to wisely spend federal funding for programs to stop opioid addiction deaths. Many knowledgeable recovery professionals spoke and gave practical suggestions for the proposal.
My grandson died, like so many others, because of the pervasive and deadly existence of opioid drugs readily available throughout our communities.
Opioids were introduced into our communities in the 1990s as Oxycontin by the Perdue Pharmaceutical Company.
Perdue officials knew full-well that these drugs were highly addictive, but purposefully concealed that information. By pushing ahead with their extremely profitable sales anyway without giving warning to the community and to medical professionals, they have made themselves, in large part, responsible for opioid deaths in New Hampshire.
Because I realize that effective, addiction recovery programs are extremely expensive and a burden to our New Hampshire budget, I am requesting that you order our New Hampshire attorney general to look into joining with Massachusetts and other states in a suit against the Perdue Pharmaceutical Company in order that those responsible for causing this crisis in New Hampshire will be made to assist the State of New Hampshire to pay for treatment of this deadly illness.
Corinne Dodge
Derry
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