NH Union Leader – January 8, 2025
By PAUL FEELY, Union Leader Staff
New Hampshire’s two largest cities recorded the lowest number of overdoses in a year in 2024 since the COVID pandemic, data released this week shows. There were 710 suspected overdoses in Manchester and Nashua in 2024, according to data shared by ambulance service American Medical Response (AMR) — 526 of those occurred in Manchester, 184 in Nashua. Sixty-six overdoses were fatal — 46 in Manchester, 20 in Nashua. Nashua recorded both the lowest number of suspected opioid overdoses and lowest number of suspected opioid deaths in one year since AMR began tracking the data in 2015, Chris Stawasz, regional director of AMR, said in a statement.
Manchester recorded a 24% drop in suspected opioid overdoses in 2024 than in 2023, with Nashua down 19%. The Queen City recorded a 21% decrease in suspected opioid deaths in 2024 than the prior year, with Nashua down 49%. Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais called the numbers for 2024 “incredibly encouraging.” “I want to thank our Health Department Director Anna Thomas and AMR, as well as our local and state partners for this marked improvement and lives saved,” Ruais said. “As a person in recovery, there is nothing I am more proud of than seeing significant improvements in this area because one life lost is too many.” Stawasz categorized 2024 as an “encouraging year” in the battle to reduce opioid-related deaths and help get people “into and maintain long term recovery.”
“It was one of the most significant years we have seen for progress,” Stawasz said. “Keep in mind that due to the nature of the opioid epidemic and its clear history of unpredictability, it is always possible that this trend could quickly change.” Stawasz cited a “triple opioid overdose event” in Nashua this past weekend as evidence how quickly things can pivot. “It is common to see different varieties of illicit poly substances appear without warning,” Stawasz said in a statement. “Many can be highly lethal or require alternative approaches for successful lifesaving treatment.” AMR medics responded to a total of 38 suspected opioid overdoses in Nashua and Manchester during December to close out 2024 — 27 in Manchester and 11 in Nashua.
“That is the lowest one-month suspected opioid overdose response total in nearly five years,” Stawasz said. Two of the overdoses were fatal. Both were in Manchester. According to AMR, of the 710 suspected opioid overdoses reported in 2024 in both Manchester and Nashua, 34% occurred in a home or residence, 26% happened in a public building or area and 23% were in vehicles or in a roadway. Three percent occurred in a jail or prison. Four percent occurred in a hotel or motel.
In 35% of the overdoses, a bystander or member of the public administered Narcan before EMS personnel arrived.
Overall, 46% of those involved in suspected opioid overdoses gave no fixed address or said they were homeless. Of the 710 suspected overdoses in both cities, 70% involved males, 30% females. The majority of overdose victims, 70%, were Caucasian. Ninety-two percent of overdose response calls involved a first encounter with an individual and 8% involved repeat encounters. In 2024, 17% of all overdose calls (87 calls) in Manchester that AMR responded to occurred at one of the three shelter locations in the city — 199 Manchester St., 456 Union St. and 39 Beech St. In New Hampshire, anyone can seek substance use disorder treatment by accessing the NH Doorway program 24/7. To access the NH Doorway program, call 211 at any time of the day or night, or visit www.thedoorway.nh.gov. If you believe someone is overdosing, call 911 immediately.