STATE 'ICE' DATA CHILLING

The Number of People Seeking Help for Crystal Meth Addiction Is Rising

The crystal meth epidemic may have eased, but it is far from over,
substance abuse treatment providers say, pointing to state figures
that show most adult admissions to treatment centers in the islands
continue to be for "ice" and that the number of people seeking help
for crystal meth addictions rose last year.

The number of adults who entered state-funded drug treatment centers
for crystal meth addictions increased to 3,536 last fiscal year, up
about 19 percent from fiscal year 2008 and 8 percent from fiscal year 2007.

Officials attributed some of that spike to new programs that targeted
crystal meth addicts, but said the higher number is still worrisome.

Alan Johnson, chief executive officer and president of Hina Mauka and
chairman of the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, said the crystal
meth epidemic might not be as bad as it was about five years ago,
when the state's ice problem was among the worst in the nation.

But at a time when state funding cuts mean treatment centers have
fewer resources for clients, providers want to remind the public the
ice problem is still a significant one.

He said of the 1,500 adults who sought treatment at Hina Mauka last
year, about 40 percent were addicted to crystal meth.

"That's the lion's share" of admissions, he said.

Statewide, 45.5 percent of state-funded adult admissions to treatment
centers were for crystal meth in fiscal year 2009, higher than the
40.9 percent in the previous fiscal year but down from a four-year
high of 49.6 percent in fiscal year 2006.

Meanwhile, 32.6 percent of state-funded adult admissions were for
alcohol last fiscal year, and 11.5 percent were for marijuana.

Johnson said one of the difficulties with crystal meth is that
addicts often need more intensive treatment compared with those
recovering from addictions to other drugs or alcohol. He said 30-day
treatment programs turn into 60-day programs for crystal meth addicts.

Keith Yamamoto, chief of the state Health Department's Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Division, said the admission figures help guide state
policy, including where money for treatment is funneled.

"This data helps us understand the problem and the degree and the
direction," said Yamamoto. "We want to always make sure that our
approach .. (is) a balanced approach."

The division got about $19.4 million in state funds last fiscal year
for treatment services, down from the $21.4 million in state funds in
fiscal year 2008, according to reports to the Legislature.

Funding for prevention remained about the same over the last two
years - at about $5.1 million.

Yamamoto pointed out that it is important to note that adults and
minors have different addiction risks.

Among those 18 and under, the drug of choice is not crystal meth, but
marijuana.

Some 52.8 percent of minors entering division-funded treatment
programs sought help for marijuana use (from 58.5 percent in fiscal
year 2006), while 40 percent sought treatment for alcohol use (up
from 34.3 percent in 2006).

Just 0.3 percent sought help for crystal meth addictions, a figure
that dropped from 2.5 percent in fiscal year 2006.

Yamamoto said alcohol abuse among minors in particular is a growing
concern. Recent surveys showed more minors are turning to alcohol,
and he said he expected the number of minors seeking help for alcohol
addiction to continue to grow in coming years.