OD DEATHS EXCEED TRAFFIC FATALITIES IN NH

CONCORD -- More people in New Hampshire die from illegal drug overdoses
than are killed in traffic accidents, said Scott Burns, deputy to
national Drug Czar John Walters.

"One thing that struck me in coming here is that you have serious
problems with heroin and opium," Burns said during a press conference
in the office of N.H. U.S. Attorney Tom Colantuono.

Illegal drugs of choice in New Hampshire are heroin, opium, cocaine
and crack cocaine, Burns said. Other statistics indicate that the use
marijuana is spreading among 10, 11 and 12 year olds nationally, Burns
said.

If young people up to age 18 are prevented by education from using
alcohol, tobacco or marijuana, then chances are about 98 percent that
they won't become users, Burns said.

Along with encouraging increased enforcement efforts on all levels
against dealers across the country, Walters will be seeking another
$100 million from Congress to continue treatment programs nationwide
for addicts, Burns said.

Earlier Congress appropriated $100 million as part of the Access to
Recovery initiative begun by the Bush Administration.

"Prevention and education are national strategies," Burns
said.

Access to recovery is designed to help 100,000 addicts per year
receive treatment through a voucher system, Colantuono said.

New Hampshire hopes to eventually get about $2 million in grants from
the program.

Colantuono said his office mounted a vigorous campaign against drug
trafficking during the current federal fiscal year 2004, which ends
tomorrow. Joint efforts among state, local and a federal drug task
force have been effective in interdiction efforts, Colantuono said.

Burns said the days of state and federal agencies not talking to each
other are over.

The N.H. U.S. Attorney's Office has opened up 109 new drug cases, and
there have been 57 indictments involving drug distribution, possession
with intent to distribute drugs, or conspiracy to distribute drugs,
Colantuono said.

While federal, state and local authorities continue to break up drug
distribution rings, more effort is being made to reach addicts who
want treatment, Burns said. Burns has been visiting officials in New
England as part of a needs assessment tour.

No specific grants have been announced yet for New Hampshire in the
enforcement or treatment areas, but federal interdiction efforts are
ongoing in known pockets of illegal drug dealing such as the
Lawrence/Lowell, Mass., area and Claremont, Burns said.

Dealers in the Lawrence/Lowell area supply drugs to Maine, New
Hampshire and Vermont, enforcement officials said. Colantuono's office
reported that it has seized more than $1,433,800 in cash, real estate
and personal property obtained through illegal drug trafficking.