Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jun 2003
Source: West Hawaii Today (HI)
Contact:  2003 West Hawaii Today
Website: http://westhawaiitoday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/644
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Note: To read more about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to
http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii

TAKING THE RIGHT DIRECTION AGAINST ICE

Sometimes knowing what to do is more difficult than following in the right
direction.

The magnitude of the ice problem on this island has been acknowledged for
several years. More than two years ago, Mayor Harry Kim "declared war" on
ice. Ice, it's a clean simple name for crystal methamphetamine, a horribly
addictive drug that causes psychological and physiological damage to the
user, and has a record of destruction that spares no one: jobs, friends -
and worst of all, families.

The barrage of words began. Attention and articulation of the problem and
the impact of this drug on our island consistently identified the goal, to
take back our communities.

What was missing was a clear means to that end. How are we to accomplish
what so obviously needs to be done?

The answers to the most difficult questions are sometimes most obvious - and
overlooked.

How we get to that solution is how we are proceeding. 

This past week communities have taken steps, positive steps, toward
addressing the ice problem. In Kohala Wednesday nearly 70 people, adults and
youths, visibly joined together to speak out against the ice problem,
holding signs by the roadside, expressing their opposition to the drug in
their community. Naalehu did the same Friday, independent of the actions on
the northern side of the island, as school-aged children were joined by
adults from South Kona and Ka'u to wave signs in Naalehu protesting the
presence of ice in their town.

Saturday revealed another step in the right direction. Milolii, the town
cited by U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye as an area where "50 percent of the
teen-agers are addicted to ice," showed the senator was wrong. They gathered
as well to combat ice. Not by waving signs, but by organizing against the
drug. 

Inouye never provided the source of his apparently unsubstantiated comment.
His offices failed to do so, as well, despite being questioned in that
regard numerous times since Inouye's exercising that erroneous hyperbole
nearly a year ago. A regional urban legend was created.

The youth of Milolii, however, take exception. And they have taken
exceptional strides against the drug in their community. They may not have
an immediate impact on existing users, but their group will make its
presence known and go far to stem the tide of new ice addicts, especially
among the young. Calling itself "PUSH ALOHA," for Pray Until Something
Happens, Always Love Others with His Aloha, the group is doing what the
entire community should do and should have been doing for years.

The answers lie in communication, understanding and providing alternative
activities for the young. Melissa Hua, a group leader there, said the group
was created two months ago and since has provided activities for kids
ranging in age from 5 to 15, including movie nights, camping trips and youth
nights. 

"Some of the kids are very troubled and we want to help them turn around,"
Hua said. "We've got to inspire them. We've got to help them. We need to
provide different opportunities. We want to be here to listen because it
takes a lot of courage for them to come forward. We let them know they can
talk to us about their problems. They also should talk to any of the youth
leaders, their teachers or counselors at school."

Milolii is a small town, even by Big Island standards. Yet nearly 40 people
from the area came to a meeting the group held Saturday. That is an
impressive turnout. It shows something important, the same thing that is
being shown by those people in Kohala and Naalehu. The community cares.

The community cares about its children, about its future - about turning the
tables on ice.

Caring about the problem before it takes hold of another young person is a
great stride forward, and it is being made daily. Helpful, too, is the
intolerance of those who cannot, for whatever reason, understand and reject
ice use, or the addict who will not accept the need for treatment.

The path was obvious. And the people most affected have taken the right
direction. Community members, friends, neighbors, and even family members,
are fighting for what is right - for themselves and their families and the
quality of life in the place we call home.

The state Legislature this week announced it, too, is finally taking notice
and will convene to address the ice epidemic in Hawaii. This, too, is good,
and may result in funds to help wage the battle where it will most
effectively be fought, in our communities and on our streets - by those of
us who live here.

It's something worth caring about and worth fighting for.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk