NO SOURCE FOR INOUYE ICE COMMENT

The source of a comment made by Sen. Daniel Inouye nearly a year ago
regarding the number of teens who use crystal methamphetamine in Milolii can
not be substantiated, his Honolulu chief of staff said.

Jennifer Sabas said Thursday the comment, "Fifty percent of the teenagers in
a Big Island town are addicted to ice," apparently was not based on any
specific statistic.

"Unfortunately we were unable to locate the exact source of that statistic,"
she said. "I checked with the Hawaii Police Department and Mayor Kim's
office, but unfortunately we were not able to come up with a precise
source."

Inouye made the comment during the Aug. 27, 2002 Hawaii Island Ice Summit,
although he did not identify the source nor the town cited. In October, U.S.
Attorney Ed Kubo repeated the statistic, which was quoted from Honolulu by
the Associated Press.

When contacted at the time, Inouye's staff revealed the town was Milolii,
but could not provide any more information then or when contacted again in
early June. State and county officials also could not say how many teenagers
lived Milolii.

Sabas admitted it was not responsible to use a statistic of uncertain
origin, noting Inouye most likely heard the statement when talking with
several concerned residents prior to the start of the meeting.

"Unfortunately, it took on a life of its own," she said.

Although the town was used as an example, one Milolii community leader said
he has tried not to dwell on the negative aspect of the comment, rather use
it to the town's advantage.

"I would tend to think of it more on the positive side in a sense that it
brought attention (to ice), whether it was factual or not," Gil Kahele said.
"Looking at the positive side, whoever or wherever the information came
from, it has brought the problem that is islandwide and statewide - and in
this case Milolii - to the forefront. It got the attention of villagers and
the youth who were rightfully so upset of being categorized, in this small
fishing village of Milolii, that they use crystal meth."

In early spring, Milolii youth created a Push Aloha (Pray Until Something
Happens, Always Love Others With His Aloha). The group is aimed at keeping
the community drug - free, providing activities for children ages 5 to 15,
including movie nights, camping trips and other various youth events.

"I look at the positive side rather than going up in arms - and the youth
did too," Kahele said. "After the dust settled a little, they took from that
positive view and took up the battle of ice. Milolii is no different than
any other in the state and that was proven by the outpouring of Hugs Not
Drugs demonstrations Wednesday. Ice is everywhere."

Kahele invited the senator to visit Milolii, noting they would be honored if
he came to visit with residents along with talking with the youth of the
community.

Inouye will return to the Big Island next month to attend another Ice Summit
meeting, and Sabas said he plans to follow up on the commitments he made in
regards to the ice problem across the island.

"Sen. Inouye has done a lot for the state and the community," Kahele said.
"Wherever the information came from, it brought attention to the fact that
ice is everywhere. If Milolii got pointed out - rightly or wrongly - we are
not looking at it that way."