State ‘ice’ fight
follows Big Island’s
leadMayor Harry Kim says even
his county's efforts to battle
the drug were overdue
In February 2001, Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim declared a "war on ice," pledging to combat crystal methamphetamine and saying the drug problem on his island was "totally unacceptable."
Since then, Hawaii County has received millions in federal funding to crack down on ice, stirred more community involvement and played host to a major "ice summit" that was attended by hundreds.
Kim's message rings familiar today as Gov. Linda Lingle's administration and state lawmakers are vowing a similar assault on the drug, including a statewide summit in September.
The concern is sparked by fears that Hawaii has the worst ice problem in the nation, with tens of thousands of hard-core users tearing island families apart.
Kim said the state's effort was welcome news and "not too late" but acknowledged that even his less publicized efforts -- more than two years ago -- were overdue.
"I know we're late -- I can't pussyfoot that," he said. "I was just fortunate because I was hit on the head with it as soon as I came into office by a friend who said, 'Please look into it because it's a severe problem.'"
Last month, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, a former judge who set up the state's drug court program, announced he is organizing the September drug summit to focus on the soaring use of ice in Hawaii.
A rare joint state House-Senate committee is holding hearings statewide.
"I appreciate what is happening. Unfortunately, the focus on it now is so huge because the problem is so huge," Kim said.
He said the destruction caused by the highly addictive drug has been known by residents for more than a decade, long before the recent attention given by the news media and politicians.
"A lot of people who are reading what's going on now are probably saying, 'Duh,'" Kim said. "A lot of times, we in government are so slow in waking up to things.
"From the very beginning, it has been the communities that have been screaming at us that this is a problem."
Police and federal drug agents informed Kim, when he took office in December 2000, that the ice problem was an "epidemic" and fueling crime.
Meanwhile, deaths, crimes and hospitalizations related to crystal methamphetamine have been surging every year -- as well as the number of users.
Elaine Wilson, head of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division of the state Health Department, said ice has become the primary drug used by adults admitted to state treatment centers.
Alcohol, the most widely abused substance for decades, has dropped to second, Wilson said.
"Ice is Hawaii's largest illicit drug problem," said Keith Kamita, administrator of the state's Narcotics Enforcement Division. "Marijuana use is high, but when we look at the threat assessment in Hawaii, I would say crystal meth is higher because it causes so much damage."
Kamita said he is not surprised by the recent attention on the drug.
"I think the public is finally sick and tired of this, and they want something done," he said.
Ice is a freebase form of methamphetamine that looks like a piece of rock salt. It is colorless and odorless. When smoked, a single "hit" can produce an intense high that lasts for several hours, Kamita said. Ice use has devastating effects on the body, especially the brain, and can cause violent behavior, mood swings and permanent psychological problems. Most of the ice in Hawaii is imported from the West Coast. Some ice coming into Hawaii is being manufactured in Mexico and shipped through the United States, Kamita said.
While methamphetamine in a powdered form, which is often injected or snorted, is common on the mainland, the smokable ice is preferred in Hawaii.
"It's funny, Hawaii people don't like the powdered form," Kamita said. "It doesn't sell as well. It's just packaging. It's basically the same thing."
U.S. Attorney Edward Kubo Jr. has said Hawaii has the worst ice problem in the nation and that 40 percent of the people arrested in Honolulu tested positive for methamphetamine use, 30,000 Honolulu residents are hard-core users and that it is associated with most confirmed child abuse cases.
Kim is reluctant to take any credit for the improvements over the last two years, saying it is deserved by law enforcement, the community and U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), who helped get $4 million in federal funding for the Big Island.
"In regard to what the Lingle administration and the Legislature is doing, it's welcome participation," Kim said. "I'm sure the entire state welcomes seeing government waking up to a problem that they've known for years."