Aiona plan targets drug use

By Kawehi Haug
Advertiser Staff Writer

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona has announced a strategy to try to reduce illegal drug use in Hawai'i by more than 10 percent in three years. Aiona, a former state judge who started the Hawai'i drug court program, said the plan will be the focus of the Hawai'i Drug Control Summit the Lingle administration will hold Sept. 15 to 17 at the Sheraton-Waikiki hotel.

The overall strategy includes proposals to:

• Develop drug-treatment programs in prisons for addicted inmates who are about to be released.

• Ban the sale of such "precursor chemicals" as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, drug-making ingredients found in many over-the-counter cold medicines.

• Create an anti-drug media campaign.

• Measure the effectiveness of anti-drug programs by monitoring indicators such as drug-related arrests and overdose deaths.

• Hold "talk-story" sessions around the state to give communities a chance to share ideas and strategies to control substance abuse at the grassroots level.

"We want to develop realistic approaches that our communities can take to increase access to treatment and enhance law enforcement for those who use and sell illicit drugs," Aiona said.