Mayor’s Drug Task Force Holds Forum Next Week

A new task force created by Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini to help battle the heroin drug epidemic in the city will hold its first public forum next week.

Last week, Fiorentini announced during his end-of-year address to the Haverhill City Council the creation of an overdose task force, among other measures, in response to a growing number of young persons who have died from heroin and other opiate drug overdoses. Police patrol officers were recently equipped with nasal-mist applications of Narcan, a substance used to help reverse the effects of overdoses. Fiorentini said the heroin epidemic is “our top priority.”

The mayor’s drug/overdose task force has scheduled a public forum at 6 p.m., Wednesday, January 14, at the Consentino Middle School, 685 Washington Street.

An aide to Mayor Fiorentini did not respond to WHAV’s request for details about the new task force.