Should NH make it legal to mandate drug treatment?

The parents of a New Hampshire teenager who died of a drug overdose earlier this year are calling on lawmakers to create legislation that would make it possible for courts to mandate drug treatment even if a person does not wish to take part.

The family cite a similar law in Massachusetts, which allows court systems to mandate drug treatment for someone whose alcohol or drug abuse puts themselves or others at risk.

In New Hampshire, an individual can only be compelled into a treatment program if they have been diagnosed with a mental illness.

Proponents of the law argue that even those who are not mentally ill can pose a danger to themselves or others because of their addiction, and that enabling family members to turn to the court to push them into treatment could save lives.

Opponents counter that the law would be an imposition on an individual's civil rights, and also argue that drug treatment is less likely to succeed unless the individual is motivated to confront their addiction.