ISLE ABUSE OF SOME DRUGS IS INCREASING

Narcotics Agents Say People Are Abusing Prescription Drugs, Particularly
Painkillers

State narcotics agents have noticed a rise in pharmaceutical drug abuse
following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to Keith Kamita,
administrator of the Narcotics Enforcement Division.

"People are depressed," Kamita said.

Layoffs, financial issues and depression triggered by the attacks have
caused a number of isle residents to turn to pharmaceutical drugs to deal
with their problems, according to experts.

"Pharmaceutical drugs are stronger than illicit drugs," Kamita said.

As of Feb. 16, 63,069 residents had filed unemployment claims since Sept.
11, thousands of them because they were either laid off or had their hours
cut back due to the economic downturn in the wake of the attacks.

Narcotics agents categorized pharmaceutical drug abusers two ways: those who
alter or forge a prescription of a controlled substance, and multidoctor
patients who go to several physicians to obtain controlled substances for
their own use or to sell to others.

Painkillers such as Vicodin, OxyContin and Valium are among the drugs being
abused the most, with OxyContin showing the biggest jump, Kamita said. The
drug, which has a street value of $1 per milligram, is crushed and may
either be snorted or injected, resulting in a high similar to heroin,
according to Kamita.

"It's (OxyContin) becoming more and more prevalent," said M.P. Andy
Anderson, chief executive officer of Hina Mauka, a substance abuse treatment
agency.

Kamita said state narcotics agents are able to determine whether a person is
suffering from a chronic illness or abusing medication.

If a patient suffers from cancer, a steady number of controlled substances
is recorded, he said. However, those who abuse pharmaceutical drugs show an
irregular amount of prescribed controlled substances. Narcotics agents also
investigate multidoctor patients by consulting with the physicians issuing
controlled substances.

Three years ago, a notification and warning agreement was implemented to
curtail multidoctor patients. Under the agreement, a patient can obtain
controlled substances from only one practitioner.

According to the Hawaii Revised Statutes, it is a felony for a patient to
intentionally visit more than one physician and withhold information
regarding previous doctor visits for the purpose of obtaining controlled
substances. Abuse of a controlled substance is a Class C felony that is
punishable by up to five years in prison or a $5,000 fine.

An electronic monitoring system has been set up at pharmacies statewide that
alerts state narcotics agents of an irregular number of controlled
substances issued to a person, Kamita said. "For us, that's our first line
of defense," he said.

Linda de la Rosa, clinical supervisor of Hina Mauka at the Women's Community
Correctional Center, said she suffered from an addiction to Valium and
Talwin following a divorce in 1973. She began to drink heavily and take the
pain relievers with alcohol. She said she underwent treatment after her
co-workers intervened while she was working as a nurse at a New Jersey
hospital.

"It was a nurse's mentality that it was not abusing drugs back then. It
would be the same as taking Tylenol. We wouldn't think twice about it. Now
we do," said de la Rosa, who has been free of drugs and alcohol for 26
years.

She said her own recovery led her to counsel others who have problems with
drugs.

"Prescription drug abuse is the sophisticated way of abusing drugs," de la
Rosa said.

Of OxyContin, "it's a new choice of drug," she said. A number of overdoses
and deaths have resulted from the abuse of the drug, de la Rosa added.

Police psychologist Gloria Neumann said taking any form of drugs is a way
for people "to block out what happened."

"People often look for a quick fix. Drugs are often a quick solution, but it
doesn't solve the underlying problem," Neumann said.

Hawaii Drug Abuses

Cases of abuse of controlled substances from Sept. 11 to present:

Hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin): 34
Oxycodone (e.g., OxyContin): 34
Benzodiazepine (e.g., Valium): 27
Codeine: 16

Cases of abuse of controlled substances from July 1, 2000, to June 30, 2001:

Hydrocodone (e.g., Vicodin): 73
Oxycodone (e.g., OxyContin): 39
Benzodiazepine (e.g., Valium): 45
Codeine: 57

If you have information of someone abusing a controlled substance or selling
it illegally, call the Narcotics Enforcement Division at 837-8470.

Source: Keith Kamita, administrator of Hawaii's Narcotics Enforcement
Division