MARIJUANA IS A THREAT TO OUR CHILDREN

I'm concerned about the direction our state is heading. Last session,
legislators approved the growing of industrial hemp. This session we
approved the concept of medical marijuana. Both bills were strongly opposed
by law enforcement agencies.

The supplemental budget passed with a proviso that no funds should be spent
on marijuana eradication; the Hawaii County Council seemed to agree by
deferring a decision on whether to accept federal grant money to help
conduct police raids on marijuana growers.

Are we poised to legalize marijuana? Who is pushing this agenda? Are
political contributions involved? These questions must be answered.

Marijuana still poses a great threat to our children's safety and
well-being:

* The state Department of Education reports seeing an increase in the number
of students who try marijuana before the age of 13.

* In the 1998-99 school year, 665 cases of possession of marijuana by
youngsters were reported to the police.

* The Department of Health estimates that 16,701 minors are in need of
treatment for all types of substance abuse.

Unfortunately, this new permissiveness is accompanied by an even greater
reluctance by the Legislature to provide significant funds for substance
abuse treatment for both children and adults.

Furthermore, lawmakers failed to create a proposed Governor's Substance
Abuse Task Force and failed to require health insurers to provide a level of
benefits for substance abuse comparable to those provided for other health
problems.

We must get serious about the drug epidemic, and it starts with marijuana.
Perhaps we need a referendum to determine how people feel about
legalization.

Rep. Colleen Meyer, R-45th District