Pubdate: Thu, 25 Sep 2003
Source: Honolulu Advertiser (HI)
Copyright: 2003 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
Contact:  http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/195
Author: Andy Anderson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
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 .

A NEW BEGINNING FOR OUR ADDICTED CITIZENS

I would like to publicly congratulate and thank Gov. Lingle and especially Lt.
Gov. Aiona for their leadership in convening the recent drug summit. What a
great New Beginning for our state and people.

I've been blessed with the opportunity to live in our beautiful land of aloha
for some 43 years and am doubly blessed to have found my recovery from
alcoholism here in 1961 when there may have been only 100 recovering alcoholics
on all of O'ahu. In addition, I have been a substance-abuse professional for 37
years and have never seen this kind of activism by the community, coverage by
the press and response by government on the issues of drugs, alcoholism and
addiction.

The leadership this administration has brought to the forefront of our state is
awesome and compelling in that I see a coalescence and collaboration developing
that will bring a solution-focused plan to fully address the issue of drug
addiction (including the legal drug alcohol), and thereby bringing in all the
elements so needed to help folks like me to get into recovery -- whether
through treatment, faith-based efforts or the 12-step programs.

It's an outstanding job of bringing a New Beginning of hope for our addicted
citizens.

Andy Anderson CEO

Hina Mauka
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk