GOP briefed on
‘ice’ escapadesHouse Republicans get an
overview of the crisis in advance
of a summer conference
The high demand and high prices for crystal methamphetamine have turned many island homes into laboratories that use common household items to make the illegal and deadly drug, state lawmakers were told yesterday.
"The money is there," state Chief Narcotics Officer Keith Kamita told state House Republicans. "If you can manufacture it yourself, you cut out the middle man, and you can make money."
Kamita said Hawaii's crystal meth, or "ice," problem is the worst in the nation, and the highly addictive drug is in great demand here.
A pound of ice is valued at around $35,000 to $40,000 on Oahu, several times more than what it goes for in California, he said. On the Big Island, however, just a gram of crystal meth can sell for about $250, which adds up to $112,000 a pound; on Kauai it goes for $500 a gram, or $224,000 a pound, he added.
So some people have turned their homes into drug labs, using items such as turkey basters, iodine, crockpots and even rice cookers to help make crystal meth.
The GOP House members invited Kamita to give a presentation on ice as a prelude to Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona's planned summer conference on the ice problem and a House-Senate joint committee's plans for statewide hearings on what leaders see as a crisis.
According to figures from the Office of the Medical Examiner on Oahu, deaths among ice users have nearly quadrupled in the past decade, with a record 62 last year, half of which involved overdoses and suicides. Through last April there were 20 such deaths, the office said.
Hawaii hospitals in 2001 reported admitting 2,089 people for ice-related treatment, and for 2002 the number "has grown immensely," although the exact figure is not yet available, Kamita said.
Kamita said the state's ice epidemic is linked to violent and property crimes, child abuse and broken families, among other things.
"I think it's pretty disturbing when we realize what a grip this has on people throughout the process, from young kids all the way through adulthood," said Galen Fox (R, Waikiki), House minority leader.
Kamita's presentation included a step-by-step process on what is needed to create crystal meth, and photos of children and infants abused or neglected because their parents or guardians were ice users or dealers.
Rep. Bud Stonebraker (R, Hawaii Kai) said: "It just breaks my heart when you see the pictures of the kids being neglected and children watching children. They're forced to be practically the head of the household, living on crackers and peanut butter.
"It's just a punch in the heart. You want to do something, anything."
Fox said the House Minority Caucus will push next session for a strong search-and-seizure law to help state law enforcement officials fight ice labs.
Kamita said he needs more manpower added to his 16-person division so he can place permanent narcotics officers on the neighbor islands instead of flying them there every day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.