CASE BRINGS NEWS OF FEDERAL HELP IN FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

U.S. Congressman Ed Case, Mayor Bryan Baptiste and state and county
legislators yesterday reaffirmed their commitment to defeat the use of
crystal methamphetamine on Kaua'i, as well as the abuse of other drugs.

Their pledges of support came at a public meeting where residents
recommended ways to beat drug use, including establishing more anti-drug
programs and drug treatment facilities, increasing police manpower and
creating an anti-drug task force and citizen patrols .

The recommendations were made during a "regional drug summit" the Baptiste
administration held at Princeville's Prince Course Clubhouse.

The brainstorming session is the third of five summits being held by the
mayor as his administration seeks ways to try to find solutions to the
island's drug problems.

Also attending were state Rep. Hermina Morita, D-North Kaua'i, Lynn P.
McCrory, a Kaua'i representative on the board of the state Land Board, Gary
Heu, administrative assistant to Baptiste, Tim Bynum of the Friends of
Kamalani Playground and Capt. Mitham Clement of the Salvation Army on
Kaua'i.

Case was the keynote speaker at the gathering attended by 30 residents.

Case represents rural areas of O'ahu and the neighbor islands. He said the
use of crystal methamphetamine - a drug known on the street as "ice" - has
overrun Hawai'i.

But like rural communities on Kaua'i, rural communities elsewhere in the
state recognize the danger of the problem, and have convened meetings to
find solutions, Case said.

Case said nobody has been able to explain to him why the use of ice is more
prevalent on the neighbor islands. He speculated the situation exists
because ice dealers feel they can make bigger profits on the neighbor
islands.

Case said profit margins on the sale of ice in Hawai'i are in excess of 300
percent of the prices charged the Mainland. He said a pound of ice can sell
in California for between $10,000 to $15,000, but sells for between $30,000
and $35,000 in Hawai'i.

The congressman said the sale of ice may take place more on the neighbor
islands as well because the presence of federal law officers is not as
"significant" on Kaua'i, Maui and the Big Island as it is in Honolulu.

Case said ice has evolved into the illicit drug of choice in Hawai'i, and
its impact has wrecked lives, noting:

* Hawai'i leads the nation in the percentage of arrested adults who have
tested positive for the drug.

* Hawai'i has the highest rate of adults who have tried the drug.

* Ice has replaced alcohol as the primary substance used by residents who
are in treatment programs.

* Deaths attributed to ice have almost doubled in two years.

* Ice has been directly linked to 44 percent of the homicides and 90 percent
of the child abuse cases in Hawai'i.

* Nationally, in 2001, 14 percent of people sentenced for trafficking in
drugs have involved ice. In Hawai'i, that number climbed to 51 percent,
according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

* On Kaua'i, ice (in grams) was the second most seized drug between July
2000 and June 2001. Marijuana still led the way.

At the federal level, Case said he has:

* asked the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Agency to put agents on Kaua'i.

* secured funds for drug prevention programs. "If you can get people to stop
that first use, you are way ahead of the battle, and that is education that
comes from the federal education process, federal education programs of
prevention," Case said.

* asked Congress for $6 million to support "ice-related efforts through the
state" in this fiscal year.

* asked Congress for $2.8 million for a neighbor island drug treatment
facility.

* Sought federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area funds for Hawai'i and
will work to ensure the neighbor islands counties get their share. The funds
are allocated to areas with intensive drug trafficking problems, Case said.

"My challenge and my commitment is to make sure those monies come out of
Honolulu and get out to the communities that, frankly, in the case of ice,
need them, particularly on this island (Kaua'i), or over on the Big Island
or whatever," Case said.

Baptiste told the gathering that residents can approach Case or US. Sen.
Daniel Inouye for funds to combat drug use, but the key to success lies with
residents who recognize the problem exists and want to fight back.

"The key for us is to take charge, be able to stand up to our friends,
neighbors and friends and say 'enough is enough,'" Baptiste said.

Winning the battle against drug use will be hard, but it also will come down
to people wanting to help those addicted to drugs as well, Baptiste said.

Until recently, the mayor said, he was probably like most people, not
entirely aware that drug abuse was such a severe problem, partly because of
denial.

However, the ice culture is real and it has "taken the innocence that we
had," Baptiste said.

Kaua'i County Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said ice hurts everyone and she
hoped Saturday's session would lead to "action projects" that will make a
significant difference in the war against drugs.

Yukimura said she is working with a subcommittee of an islandwide drug
prevention group convened by Baptiste.

She said the subcommittee is studying the most successful anti-drug projects
or program that have been used by other communities in the nation, and that
it is her hope some will be used on Kauai.

"Prevention is always the most cost-effective, versus enforcement and
treatment of people, helping them to choose not to use drugs and not to go
down that route is the cheapest, always," Yukimura said.

Yukimura said a Kilauea acupuncturist is looking at a method that could help
drug users, and wants to offer it on Kaua'i. The process, which involves
treatment of the ear, has been used successfully in Oregon, she said.

Prior to discussions by residents, Carol Seielstad, a special education
teacher at Hanalei Elementary School, praised the effectiveness of the
police-sponsored DARE (anti-drug) program for youths, and said she wants
implementation of more programs like it.

Seielstad said she knows North Shore youths use ice, and attended
yesterday's meeting because "I am thinking of what we can do at our level to
prevent that."

Others said they were skeptical about reporting incidents to the police
because of creditability issues.

Kaua'i Police Chief George Freitas spoke at the forum, and said local
residents should work with the police department to help make headway in the
war on drugs on Kaua'i.

People need to provide detailed information in reporting drug cases to
police officers, Freitas said. "I need people to talk in terms of
specifics," he said. "I cannot deal with rumors or innuendoes."

During discussions, participants noted ice use is "all over the North
Shore," that ice wastes "lives, time and money," and that health programs
should be set up in addition to enforcement of drug laws.

Other advice included having parents being good models for their children by
not using drugs.

Some claimed influential community leaders on the North Shore are involved
in drug trafficking. Others suggested that a drug hotline should be set up.

Verdelle Lum, a member of the Waioli Hui'ia Church of Hanalei, said church
groups can help with drug prevention.

Teresa Meek, a Princeville resident, said using "peer pressure" will
discourage youths from using ice. " Take the most popular kids and recruit
youths not to smoke or use ice, and convince their friends that it (using
drugs) is not the cool thing to do."

Roy Nishida, Baptiste's anti-drug coordinator, said the comments will be
reviewed and that a comprehensive anti-drug plan is planned to be
forthcoming by the summer.