Library hosts public discussion on heroin and opioid epidemic

posted on: 3/5/2017

Heroin and opioids – two words that have frequently shown up in the news, especially within the last couple of years.

New Hampshire had the second highest rate of deaths due to heroin and opioid use in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state has seen a 191 percent increase over the past five years with overdose deaths predicted at over 500 for 2016.

What has been described as an “epidemic” is far from over, but there are actions being taken within the community to help.

On Monday, March 6 at 6 p.m., the Dover Public Library will explore the heroin and opioid problem further by inviting the public to a discussion with five community members involved in the prevention, recovery and legal aspects of the epidemic. Those who attend the discussion are encouraged to bring any questions they may have for the panel members.

The panel includes Nate Mack, recovered addict and operations manager at Bonfire Recovery Services in Dover; Dave Terlemezian, captain with the Dover Police Department; Courtney Atherton, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor for Wentworth Health Partner’s Great Bay Mental Health; Elizabeth Atwood, capacity building specialist at Rochester’s SOS Recovery Community Organization; and Aaron McGuire, a representative from Dover’s Triangle Club where they host Heroin Anonymous meetings. McGuire is currently in a 12-step recovery program.

The talk is sponsored by the New Hampshire Harry Potter Alliance, a nonprofit library-affiliated community service group that encourages volunteering as a way for fans to become heroes. The discussion is part of a series of lectures that hope to inform and educate the public about important issues within their community.