METH PROJECT HITS HARD, TRUE

Encouraged by results of a survey following a year of a project
discouraging young people from indulging in crystal methamphetamine,
the Hawaii Meth Project has launched its second year of television,
radio, online and print advertisements. The project has showed signs
of success and should go forward.

The project drew skepticism last fall by the Drug Policy Forum of
Hawaii, which asserted that "abstinence-based and fear-based programs
are not effective in reducing the use of drugs by teens." That may be
true in trying to discourage youngsters from trying alcohol, marijuana
and other substances, but meth has risen to a category of its own.

Carrying the theme of "not even once," the project's public-service TV
commercials portray users to be immediately addicted at their initial
sniff, swallow or injection of the drug, leading to ugly physical
consequences. Meth triggers dopamine, a brain's neurotransmitter,
blocking enzymes that help to break down other invasive drugs and
causing euphoria for 10 to 12 hours. Over time, it can reduce dopamine
levels, eventually wreaking havoc on the brain.

"There's no way that any ad would be too hard-hitting," Hawaii Family
Court Judge Michael Broderick told the Star-Advertiser in a conference
with the Hawaii Meth Project.

Crystal meth was introduced in the islands before spreading to the
mainland. Hawaii ranked fifth in the nation in 2007 in meth used by
people 12 and older. More recent rankings are unavailable, but Hawaii
police say the state still has one of the largest user populations in
the country.

Surveys conducted by the Hawaii Meth Project indicate that 54 percent
of the state's teens and 67 percent of young adults regard taking
crystal meth as a "great risk," a 10 percent increase in both categories.

Montana, where the model project was launched in 2005, ranked fifth in
meth use but now is 39th, with meth use having declined by 62 percent.
Use has dropped by more than half in Arizona and Idaho, which began
their projects in 2008.

The Hawaii Meth Project has operated on $2 million a year in private
contributions. The Montana project receives federal funding. Cindy
Adams, the Hawaii Meth Project's executive director, said the local
effort will seek state and federal assistance when the economy
improves. A 2005 Rand Corp. study showed that meth abuse costs Hawaii
$500 million a year in health care, foster care, treatment,
incarceration and lost work time.

The Hawaii Meth Project has been successful in finding donors to
support its effort - and will need to continue to go that route. The
state is in no position to add to the pool, and the project will not
be able to get in line in the foreseeable future with other worthwhile
nonprofits that have lost public funding because of the state's budget
crisis.