HONOLULU In 35 years of law enforcement, Larry Burnett has dealt with a lot of dangerous problems, but none as chilling as Hawaii's ''ice'' epidemic. ''I haven't been around a drug, in my Mainland experience, where people will get tanked up on that stuff and stand out on their lanai and shoot up the neighborhood,'' said Burnett, director of the federal office charged with coordinating law enforcement resources against illegal drugs. He recalled an incident three years ago in which a crystal methamphetamine user opened fire from the balcony of a Hawaii Kai apartment, unloading some 100 rounds because he was delusional and thought his ex-wife had sent ninja-like assassins to kill him. [continues 949 words]
HONOLULU -- The number of adults admitted to state-funded drug- treatment agencies for crystal methamphetamine abuse has roughly doubled since 1998, a state health official told a legislative panel Wednesday. Elaine Wilson, chief of the Health Department's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division, cited statistics from providers that show there were 2,730 adults in Hawaii admitted for crystal meth treatment in 2002, compared to 1,423 in 1998. As the state continues to map out its plan for combatting the highly addictive stimulant known as ''ice,'' more efforts must be focused on treatment and prevention, Wilson and other providers told the Joint House-Senate Task Force on Ice and Drug Abatement. [continues 500 words]
Kailua Crowd Asked To Help; Governor Will Visit Maui On Saturday KAILUA, Oahu -- Gov. Linda Lingle on Tuesday assured Windward Oahu residents that her administration continues to confront the state's crystal methamphetamine epidemic in the first of her town hall-style meetings aimed at getting input directly from communities about issues important to them. Lingle also urged residents to get more involved in government by sharing any ideas -- on drug enforcement or anything else -- with their elected officials. ''I think it makes a very strong statement from the community that we're not going to be passive about this,'' she said. [continues 408 words]
U.S. Attorney Cites Figure To Push Legislature For Laws With More Bite HONOLULU -- Hawaii must revamp its wiretap laws and bring search-and-seizure statutes in line with federal standards if it hopes to stop the growing use of crystal methamphetamine in the islands, law enforcement officials told a legislative panel on Monday. Use of the highly addictive illegal stimulant known as ''ice'' has reached such epidemic proportions in Hawaii that an estimated one out of every 10 residents is either a hard-core or recreational user, U.S. Attorney Edward Kubo Jr. said. [continues 527 words]
HONOLULU -(AP)- Lt. Gov. James ''Duke'' Aiona on Tuesday pushed for mandatory drug testing of some high school students, saying that drugs and drug users in schools undermine the state's educational mission. ''The destructive impact of substance abuse on our educational system demands that we take serious action now,'' Aiona said in testimony before the Senate Education and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committees. The committees were considering a bill to set up a pilot drug testing and assistance program in public high schools that would involve at least one high school from each complex area. [continues 396 words]
HONOLULU (AP) Programs and services for Hawaii's children, many of which faced the budget ax last session, could be trimmed further if the nation goes to war with Iraq, a House lawmaker said Thursday. ''In all likelihood it will probably result in a greater deficit and possibly even more cuts in services for our children and families,'' said Rep. Dennis Arakaki, chairman of the House Health Committee. Arakaki is one of 33 lawmakers in the Legislature's ''Keiki Caucus,'' a bipartisan coalition that focuses on children as a legislative priority. [continues 268 words]
A Delayed Bill Would Put Qualified Offenders In Treatment Programs Advocates of a measure that would divert nonviolent drug offenders to treatment programs instead of prison are running television ads urging lawmakers to pass the bill. "Adopting a policy of not sending nonviolent drug offenders to prison is a real cost-saving proposition, saving money for the taxpayers," said retired Circuit Judge Masato Doi at a gathering at the state Capitol on Friday. "Adopting this kind of policy is not being soft on crime. I look on it as actually preventing crime -- you catch it before a crime is committed." [continues 278 words]
Use Of Other Drugs, Alcohol And Tobacco Declines Among Youth While tobacco, alcohol and drug use has largely decreased or stabilized overall among Hawaii's youth, one illicit substance that has not followed that downward trend is ecstasy, according to a new study. "We don't have a lot of trend data on it, but the fact that none of the other drugs increased in 2000 and this did really makes it stand out," said Renee Storm Klingle, one of the authors of the study that was released yesterday by the state Department of Health. [continues 566 words]
