KEEP UP FIGHT AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE

THE ISSUE Surveys indicate that state campaigns against smoking and
substance abuse are having positive results.

NATIONAL and state surveys show that Hawaii's efforts to discourage
substance abuse have been effective. Cigarette smoking among young
people has dropped dramatically, while Hawaii is making greater
progress than other states in combating substance abuse. State
campaigns against abuse of tobacco and the use of illicit drugs
should continue.

The state Health Department reports that cigarette smoking among
middle and high school students dropped by half from 1993 to last
year. Middle schoolers who consider themselves smokers fell from 12.9
percent to only 5 percent, while high school smokers dropped from
24.5 percent to 12.6 percent.

Smoking among Hawaii residents from ages 12 through 17 stayed about 9
percent from 2002 to 2004, while smokers aged 26 or older declined
from 21.8 percent to 19.4 percent, according to a report by the U.S.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. During
that period, smoking was more prevalent among people from 18-25; the
national level stayed at about 40 percent, while Hawaii's numbers
increased from 34.3 percent to 36 percent.

Other Hawaii figures in the federal survey are encouraging. While the
percentage of people 12 and older who perceived a great risk in
smoking marijuana increased nationally from 39.1 percent to 39.7
percent, Hawaii's numbers nearly caught up, jumping from 34.3 percent
to 38.8 percent in just two years.

While people who reported using pain relievers nonmedically from 2002
to 2004 remained at 4.8 percent nationally, Hawaii was the only state
that showed a significant drop, from 39.1 percent to 3.1 percent.

In nearly all categories -- tobacco, marijuana, cocaine and all other
illicit drug use -- Hawaii saw a reduction of users and increase in
those aware of the risks. One important area due for more attention
is drug treatment: Those saying they needed but did not receive such
treatment crept from 2. 6 percent in 2002 to 2.7 percent in 2004.