DRUG EXPERTS GIVEN SHORT SHRIFT BY MEDIA

Recently all of our local broadcast stations gave an hour to show a scare film
about crystal meth use in Hawai'i. The film gave time to leading Republicans,
Harry Kim, Ed Kubo and our governor and lieutenant governor to make statements
of concern.

Yet a 30-minute interview with Ethan Nadlemann, one of the foremost experts on
drug addiction reform and harm reduction, ended up as only five seconds on air.
June Jones' quotes took up more time.

The film relied on personal histories and other anecdotal evidence rather than
on scientific research to make most of its points. As a scary propaganda piece,
that may be fine, but it doesn't help Hawai'i get any closer to effective
solutions.

Contrast the enormous free media attention given to the film to the absence of
reporting on the recent visit of Stanton Peele to our state. Dr. Peele is a
leading national expert on harm reduction who gave a workshop on Sept. 18. He
presented information about treatment from a review of over 200 studies.
Treatment professionals were greatly informed.

One can only wonder why such information went unreported in the media,
un-included in the Aiona drug summit, and nowhere to be seen in the anti-ice
film.

Tracy Ryan

Chair, The Libertarian Party of Hawaii