[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aZvdKGKu3k]
Judge Ned Gordon, prime sponsor of the legislation that created the Alcohol Fund.
There is a drug-related death in New Hampshire every 27 hours. Now more than ever there is public support to fund the Alcohol Fund as it was originally intended. This weekend, please take a moment to call all the members of the Senate Finance Committee and tell them that it is time to fund the Alcohol Fund.
On May 19 the Committee will be taking up Health and Human Services funding – let them know that the moment is NOW to address our epidemic. Below is a list of the members of Senate Finance. Call each one and let them know it is time to fund the Alcohol Fund! If you can’t reach them, be sure to call their office first thing on Monday morning. When you call the office number, you will be speaking with a staffer. Remember–tallies are kept on the number of calls an issue receives so it’s important that your voice is heard.
Please call members of Senate Finance and tell them to fund the Alcohol Fund so that we can increase prevention in schools, increase recovery supports in the community, and fill gaps in treatment access for our citizens.
| Finance Committee Member | Represents | Home Phone | Office Phone |
| Senator Jeanie Forrester- Chair | Alexandria, Ashland, Bridgewater, Bristol, Campton, Center Harbor, Danbury, Dorchester, Ellsworth, Grafton, Groton, Haverhill, Hebron, Hill, Holderness, Meredith, New Hampton, Orange, Orford, Piermont, Plymouth, Rumney, Sanbornton, Tilton, Warren, Wentworth, and Wilmot | (603) 279-1459 | (603) 271-4980 |
| Senator Gerald Little- Vice Chair | Acworth, Antrim, Bennington, Bradford, Croydon, Deering, Francestown, Goshen, Grantham, Hillsborough, Langdon, Lempster, Marlow, New London, Newbury, Newport, Springfield, Stoddard, Sunapee, Sutton, Unity, Washington, Weare, and Windsor | (603) 660-2248 | (603) 271-4151 |
| Senator Chuck Morse | Atkinson, Pelham, Plaistow and Salem | Home number not listed | (603) 271-8472 |
| Senator John Reagan | Allenstown, Chichester, Deerfield, Epsom, Loudon, Northwood, Nottingham, Pembroke, Pittsfield, Raymond, and Strafford | (603) 463-5945 | (603) 271-4063 |
| Senator Lou D’Allesandro | Goffstown and Wards 3, 4, 10 and 11 in the City of Manchester | (603) 669-3494 | (603) 271-2117 |
| Senator Andrew Hosmer | Andover, Belmont, Boscawen, Canterbury, Franklin, Gilford, Laconia, Northfield, Salisbury, and Webster | (603) 496-2078 | (603) 271-8631 |
Public support for the Alcohol Fund
The University of New Hampshire Survey Center included a substance abuse program funding question on its February Granite State Poll for the Dupont Group. The question was designed to determine public opinion on funding for substance abuse programs. A survey of 509 New Hampshire adults was conducted by telephone between February 5 and February 12, 2015.
When told that the Governor and New Hampshire Legislature are required by law to put a portion of the profits from the state’s sale of alcohol into a program for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, but that these dollars are typically moved to other programs, 63 percent think this program should be fully funded while 8 percent think the money should be used for other programs.
The Alcohol Fund Formula
The Governor and Legislature are required by law to put a portion of the profits from the state’s sale of alcohol into a program for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. Historically, those funds are raided and used for other programs.
New Hampshire sells the most alcohol per capita, but is second to last in the nation when it comes to access to treatment for people who need it.
Year after year, the Alcohol Fund formula has been suspended in the biennium. Instead, the General Fund appropriation to the Governor’s Commission has been far less than what it was required to receive under the formula. Our state has seen less treatment and youth prevention as a result.