Letters to the Editor

Traffic-calming project in Salt Lake a success

As a longtime resident of Salt Lake, I would like to express my delight driving through the newly installed traffic-calming device at the intersection of Ala Napunani and Likini streets.

The yield signs on all entering lanes makes it a first-come-first-serve basis as to who has the right-of-way. Most everyone approaches this area slowly and with caution, and, strangely enough, I feel the aloha spirit from drivers who sometimes wave me through even if they had the right-of-way. It is also a time- and gas-saver during non-peak traffic hours because you don't have to wait for traffic lights to change.

And the students from nearby Moanalua High School are the main beneficiaries of this project. They need to cross six lanes of traffic on Ala Napunani Street, so this project will definitely relieve some of their safety concerns.

$83,000 fine over paint storage unfair

I was dismayed to read about Honolulu's $83,000 fine recently imposed by the EPA for paint-storage issues. I don't know why this fixation on fines exists in the EPA's San Francisco office, but it does not promote an atmosphere of cooperation in shoring up environmental issues.

Instead, it fosters an adversarial atmosphere where the EPA becomes an enemy wherever it goes, never to be cooperated with or to be a source of compliance information and interpretation, which is a requirement of their federal charter.

Regretfully, it seems that this fine is simply being added to the evaluation of EPA officers in order to further their careers. Perhaps it's time to appeal to our representatives and senators in Washington.

If the EPA were to be legislated from fining governments and their agencies for first offenses, but keep the fine capability for second offenses, this situation might be rectified. Both the cost of correction as well as the fine serve only to punish a taxpayer who had nothing to do with the offense. If a municipality acts in good faith to fix the issue after being warned, the fine serves no purpose.

Drug paraphernalia raid did no real good

Not only are drug paraphernalia raids such as the one that just took place on O'ahu a waste of resources, they actually harm public health and safety ("Drug devices seized in raids," Jan. 7).

The only well-documented, serious health risk associated with marijuana use is an increased risk of bronchitis and other lung problems caused by contaminants in smoke. Many medical marijuana patients use devices called vaporizers, which can reduce or eliminate these contaminants and their associated health risks. But vaporizers are considered illegal drug paraphernalia by the federal government. It's not clear whether vaporizers were included in the O'ahu raid, but vaporizer sellers have been targeted in previous federal drug paraphernalia busts.

There is zero evidence that banning drug paraphernalia reduces drug use. Meanwhile, your federal tax dollars are being spent to increase the health risks to some of our weakest and most vulnerable citizens.

Making excuses won't improve our schools

Sunday's cover story included a pretty scary statistic: Nearly 60 percent of Hawai'i's third-, fifth-, eighth- and 10th-graders are not proficient in math and reading.

The other disturbing item in that same article is the DOE's attempt to blame Hawai'i's multicultural composition for our state's poor performance in educating our children.

Truth is, a poor student — if provided with equal educational opportunities — can perform just as well as a rich student. Similarly, an immigrant student — if provided with equal educational opportunities — can learn just as well as a student born and raised in the U.S.A.

The public school system in Hawai'i is broken. In order to fix it, one cannot continue to falsely blame immigrants, poverty or funding. Instead, we must first recognize that the way we are doing things isn't working, we must be willing to implement change, and we must propose solutions based on school systems in other states that are successful.

Hawai'i's educational environment is not unique. We are simply doing a poor job.

Potholes indicate need for serious road repair

Potholes are signs of poor road maintenance. Reoccurring or numerous potholes indicate the need for better drainage, roadbed reconstruction and resurfacing of entire sections of roadways.

Highways and streets designed properly with good maintenance suffered little or no noticeable effects from the recent heavy rains except being cleaner.

Battle against tobacco smoke isn't over yet

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the 1964 Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health. This was the first widely publicized report that officially recognized that cigarette smoking is a cause of cancer and other serious and deadly diseases.

In 1964, people knew very little about the dangers of smoking. We have come a long way from the days of smoke-filled conference rooms, airplanes and even schools. Today we know all too well the health impact of using tobacco products not only to the smoker, but also to the people around the smoker.

Secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States. It is the culprit behind 38,000 deaths every year, including 3,000 lung cancer deaths among otherwise healthy nonsmokers. Secondhand smoke contains more than 4,000 substances, including more than 40 carcinogens. Secondhand smoke is the reason why today there are more than 1,600 smoke-free communities.

The staff and volunteers of the American Cancer Society are grateful that the four counties in Hawai'i are now among those communities. Of special note is the Ohana Reef Lana'i Hotel in Waikiki. This hotel went one step further by becoming Hawai'i's first completely smoke-free hotel.

Working together with the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawai'i, the American Cancer Society has, as one of its 2004 legislative priorities, the protection of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. This agreement provides Hawai'i with the means to make a strong and lasting impact through tobacco prevention, education and cessation.

In the last 40 years, we have seen tremendous advances in changing people's beliefs, perceptions and attitudes toward smoking. Spending on prevention will save money in the end. Everyone has the right to breathe clean air in Hawai'i.