AG Sessions: NH drug awareness summit start of national movement
By DAN TUOHY
New Hampshire Union Leader
MANCHESTER - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in a surprise visit and speech today at the New Hampshire Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness, said the educational campaign will help create meaningful change nationwide.
“Only a prevention movement can turn the tide,” Sessions said at the SNHU Arena. “I believe what you’re doing today is the start of a national movement.”
The summit, which targets a middle and high school audience, was organized by the Recovery Centers of America and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
Sessions said the New Hampshire event may be the largest such gathering of its kind in the country’s history. He spoke of the importance of prevention, law enforcement, recovery and treatment.
The epidemic is leaving its mark on towns and cities across New Hampshire, he said. The nation’s top law enforcement officer’s comments mirror those of President Donald Trump, who regularly raised the opioid, heroin and fentanyl problem while campaigning in New Hampshire in 2016.
“You’ll find families whose lives have been changed forever because of drug and opioid abuse,” Sessions said.
The attorney general noted that the President has called for the Department of Justice to dismantle drug organizations and gangs. “We’re going after them, that you can be sure,” he said.
Sessions, a former U.S. senator from Alabama, said he cleared his schedule to make the surprise appearance, at the invitation of Jon DeLena, a special agent in charge of the DEA.
Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas and Gov. Chris Sununu, R-Newfields, also addressed the summit.
Gatsas emphasized the importance of awareness and conversation about the dangers of drug addiction. “You are the kings and queens of social media,” he said. “I know with your ability you will move this forward.”
Sununu said that a new drug prevention program would be rolled out in the next couple of weeks, as a step in the coordinated, comprehensive state strategy to combat opioid and heroin abuse.
“We’ve made a lot of headway, but this is really the turning point,” Sununu said. “I don’t know if you guys realize, but this is the beginning of a national effort.”
Former Miami Marlins pitcher Jeff Allison, a New England native, and Wahlberg's brother, Jim, are among the speakers at the half-day summit at SNHU. Students also saw a screening of "If Only," a film by Jim Wahlberg on the dangers of opioid and drug addiction.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
So this is an article on the field trip. Middles school age is being targeted for this talk. I do agree that is the age. Once a kid gets to HS they probably have already been approached to do drugs. It is the first in the Country, will probably come to a school near all of you next.
I asked DD about it. She said because it was in a venue ( huge sports arena) and she was seated near the top of the stadium, all she kept thinking about is how steep her seat was and so feared she would fall down. These talks need to be in smaller places was her take away. I agree with that.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
And O.M.G I posted DD's opinion of the local middle school page. She thought that it was too large, should have been a more intimate/smaller crowd type discussion. And I was SLAMMED on how did I not know the venue since I signed the permission slip, blah blah. Wow these people are horrible. I stopped it my saying I screen shot the remarks. That is just awful that I had to say that to get them to stop. What is wrong with people?
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
Heck, I haven't actually signed a permission slip since my kids started middle school.
They signed my name and just told me when, where, and how much money they needed.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
And O.M.G I posted DD's opinion of the local middle school page. She thought that it was too large, should have been a more intimate/smaller crowd type discussion. And I was SLAMMED on how did I not know the venue since I signed the permission slip, blah blah. Wow these people are horrible. I stopped it my saying I screen shot the remarks. That is just awful that I had to say that to get them to stop. What is wrong with people?
Some crazy parents right there!
Sorry you had to deal with them.
Her opinion does matter. Her age group is the target group and their opinion counts. The parents need to listen like you did.
Wow.
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I drink coffee so I don't kill you.
I quilt so I don't kill you.
Do you see a theme?
Faith isn't something that keeps bad things from happening. Faith is what helps us get through bad things when they do happen.
And O.M.G I posted DD's opinion of the local middle school page. She thought that it was too large, should have been a more intimate/smaller crowd type discussion. And I was SLAMMED on how did I not know the venue since I signed the permission slip, blah blah. Wow these people are horrible. I stopped it my saying I screen shot the remarks. That is just awful that I had to say that to get them to stop. What is wrong with people?
Some crazy parents right there!
Sorry you had to deal with them.
Her opinion does matter. Her age group is the target group and their opinion counts. The parents need to listen like you did.
Wow.
So one of the admins, someone I have dealt with in community things saw the attack on me and removed those parents' posts.
Anyway, this discussion at the field trip is apparently the first in the Country and is expected to come to a large venue near all of you. I would just say the middle school age is the correct age for a discussion of the opioid topic but be cautious about the venue size if your child brings home a permission slip. BTW Jeff Sessions spoke as well.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
It's a sad world we live in. When i was a kid, i was thinking about wiffle ball and going to the creek and riding my bike. Now kids today have to think about opioid addiction, gay marriage transgender bathrooms and on and on.
-- Edited by Lady Gaga Snerd on Wednesday 8th of March 2017 07:32:55 AM
No they dont, not if the parents don't make it an issue.
Yes, warn of the dangers of the world.
But don't saddle a kid with the weight of the world.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Growing up, my mother taught me about "pushers." Be careful of the drug pushers! So when I got to high school, I expected someone to be lurking around the corner who was going to jump on top of me, hold my mouth open, and push drugs down me.
My BFF had thyroid cancer when we were 14 or 15. When she returned, she had a myriad of drugs she had to take daily because her thyroid was removed. Apparently someone saw her taking her pills at the drinking fountain and approached us, selling "Christmas trees." I had no idea what they were talking about and asked why they were selling Christmas trees in June. My BFF declined, then later told me one of the pills she takes is green so there must be some green drugs they call Christmas trees on the street....
