Legislators urged to act now against ice

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

It's time for the state to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to dealing with Hawai'i's crystal methamphetamine problems, drug treatment advocates told lawmakers yesterday.

"I think we all know the song 'It's Now or Never,'" Claire Woods, executive director of an alcohol drug treatment program told the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means committees. "We have to do something now."

Dozens of treatment advocates and others testified in support of legislation that would spend an additional $21.6 million to expand drug prevention, treatment and intervention services. The legislation is a result of the joint House-Senate task force on crystal methamphetamine, which held statewide hearings before the session.

But officials representing Gov. Linda Lingle's administration said that while they recognize the importance of prevention and treatment programs, the appropriations in the bill are not in the administration's priorities.

State Budget Director Georgina Kawamura said the findings of the legislative task force are no different from the findings of the administration's drug summit led by Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona last year and that Aiona is working with others to set goals and collect information on existing programs. She said it's important to get a clear understanding of the results of state-financed prevention and treatment programs.

Kawamura noted that the administration's supplemental budget includes $21 million on prevention and treatment, $10 million of which is federal money. But under questioning by Rep. Scott Nishimoto, D-21st (Kapahulu, Diamond Head), she acknowledged that amount is only $1 million to $2 million more than what is spent now.

State Department of Health Director Chiyome Fukino said the department supports the intent of the bill, so long as any money appropriated does not replace or adversely affect the administration's priorities.

Larry Williams of the Hawai'i Substance Abuse Coalition said more money is sorely needed and will be used effectively. He said Hawai'i's substance-abuse problem is a result of the state's failure to provide adequate treatment and prevention services to those in need.

Billy Kenoi, executive assistant to Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, said addicts who finally recognize their problem and seek treatment are put on waiting lists and that communities lack recreational activities for students. If government does not put forward such programs Hawai'i will lose a generation of children, he said.

"We cannot continue to talk about the ice problem," he said. "We need to take action to save our communities."

The House Finance and Senate Ways and Means committees have deferred making a decision on the bills.

The legislation calls for:

• $10.7 million for adult substance-abuse treatment services, particularly pregnant women, parents of young children and people of Hawaiian ancestry.
• $4.5 million for treatment programs in Hawai'i high schools and middle schools.
• $3.6 million for substance-abuse prevention programs including drug education in schools, extra-curricular youth activities and family support.
• $1.2 million to expand the judiciary's drug court programs.
• $850,000 to treat first-time, nonviolent drug offenders as an alternative to incarceration.

The bills would also provide tax credits to people who lease property to be used as drug rehabilitation homes, to employers who provide employees free drug-abuse prevention education and to employers who hire those referred from community-based treatment programs.

The state tax director estimated an annual revenue loss of $2.6 million from those tax credits.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.