Pubdate: Sat, 12 Jul 2003
Source: Honolulu Advertiser (HI)
Contact:  2003 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
Website: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/195
Author: Treena Shapiro, Advertiser Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Note: To read about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to
http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii .

POLICE PREDICT 'ICE' NUMBERS TO SURPASS '02 

Trends from the first half of the year suggest that the amount of crystal
methamphetamine seized by police and the number of confirmed ice labs will
exceed last year's totals, a Honolulu police captain told state lawmakers
yesterday.

At a hearing before the House-Senate Committee on crystal methamphetamine,
Honolulu Police Capt. Kevin Lima said by the end of June, Honolulu police
had seized 29,298 grams (about 64 pounds) of the drug, compared with 41,513
grams (about 91 pounds) for all of last year. In six months this year,
police seized more ice than in all of 1999 or 2001.

"Numbers are way up for this year," Lima said. "We're going to surpass last
year's numbers easily."

Meanwhile, police have found nine clandestine labs where ice is produced so
far this year, compared with 15 last year, Lima said.

Drug-related search warrants also are likely to exceed last year's level.
This year, 105 have been issued compared with 143 last year. The warrants
dealt with all drugs and not just ice, but Lima said he thought his
narcotics/vice division was doing a "stand-up job" of presenting enough
evidence for state judges to issue search warrants for homes and
establishments.

The committee has been holding informational hearings to help lawmakers
determine how the Legislature can address the escalating crystal
methamphetamine crisis in Hawai'i.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle also gave a presentation to the committee
yesterday, providing an overview of how the state should deal with the ice
problem .

Carlisle pushed for early intervention, rather than paying for treatment of
chronic ice addicts who have already turned to criminal behavior. He said
prevention should focus on families and schools to stop children from using
the drug while they are still casual users.

"It turns out if they're using this and abusing it at that age, then it
becomes far more difficult to get them away from it later on in their life
and far more likely that they will become a perpetual slave to addiction,"
he said.

Carlisle said he would like to see mandatory drug testing in schools, as
well as a change in the law to allow drug analysis of hair, which retains
drug residue for 90 days. He said the testing should be confidential and
nonpunitive, and that schools could not use the results to initiate criminal
charges.

Carlisle also wants to see changes to the state wiretap law, which currently
allows a criminal attorney to be present when the judge decides whether to
grant a wire tap. In addition, he argued for sentencing changes that would
make multiple misdemeanors a felony, a repeat offender law for all crimes
and a repeal of Act 161, which allows nonviolent drug offenders to go to
treatment rather than prison.

Committee co-chairwoman Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, D-21, (Nanakuli, Makaha) said
she found Carlisle's remarks on drug treatment "somewhat disturbing."

Hanabusa said that she expects the Legislature to remain committed to
treatment, but the committee will have to explore whether they will have to
respond to the issues he has raised.

Committee co-chairman Rep. Eric Hamakawa, D-3rd (Hilo, Kea'au, Mountain
View), said he was pleased and surprised to hear Carlisle suggest that
federal marijuana eradication money be used to combat ice instead.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," he said. "It's refreshing to hear it from
the prosecutor."

Hamakawa said he expected the committee to seriously consider mandatory drug
testing in public schools, although he did not know whether it would make it
into the legislative package. "It's something that's on the table for
discussion," he said.

The committee heard from state narcotics experts earlier this month and will
meet with the attorney general, U.S. attorney, the judiciary, treatment
providers and others.

[Sidebar]

HPD FINDING MORE ICE

Amount Of Crystal Methamphetamine Seized On O'ahu

*  January to June 2003: 29,298 grams (64.5 pounds)
*  2002: 41,513 grams (91.3 pounds)
*  2001: 27,295 grams (60 pounds)
*  2000: 35,263 grams (77.6 pounds)
*  1999: 27,235 grams (59.9 pounds)

Confirmed Ice Labs On O'ahu:

*  January to June 2003: 9
*  2002: 15
*  2001: 7
*  2000: 8
*  1999: 12
- ---
MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk