IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO FIGHT THE WAR ON DRUGS

Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of articles on
methamphetamine use in Hawai'i.

LIHU'E - What do Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi, Kamehameha Schools
Trustee Micah Kane and Grove Farm President and Chief Executive
Officer Warren Haruki have in common?

Besides being leaders in Hawai'i, they are all members of the
advisory council of the Hawai'i Meth Project.

For Haruki, the decision to get involved was an easy one, he said.

"The Hawai'i Meth Project is so important to Kaua'i, especially when
our youth feel that meth is easy to acquire and there is little to no
risk to trying it once or twice," said Haruki.

"The truth is that meth has devastating effects on our children,
families and our community. For this reason, I am involved and I urge
all citizens to join the efforts to prevent meth use - not even once," he said.

The project slogan is "not even once," referring to the highly
addictive nature of methamphetamine that oftentimes gets people
hooked or physically addicted after just one use.

"We have seen significant change to teen and young-adult attitudes
based on results as reported by the survey, and as Warren Haruki
stated it's critically important that we continue to have support
from all facets of the community as we endeavor to change not just
attitudes but behaviors with teens and young adults moving forward,"
said Cindy Adams, executive director of the Hawai'i Meth Project,
referring to results of a study released earlier this month
indicating greater awareness among Hawai'i teens and young adults in
terms of the dangers of meth.

"He's a leader in the community, well-respected, a very valuable
contributor," Adams said of Haruki.

"Warren has been very, very helpful in that regard," a community
leader, helpful, supportive, she said.

Adams, a resident of Waikoloa on the Big Island, said Kenoi got
involved in Big Island anti-drug efforts when he served on an
anti-ice task force under former Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, and has
remained engaged with the Hawai'i Meth Project even after Kenoi was
elected mayor.