Pubdate: Mon, 21 Jul 2003
Source: Honolulu Advertiser (HI)
Copyright: 2003 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
Contact:  http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/195
Author: George Gersaba
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Note: To read about the "ice epidemic" in Hawaii, go to
http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii .

SOLVING ICE PROBLEM REQUIRES NEW THINKING

Since the people from Kahuku to Kahalu'u went out and held signs declaring
that they're sick of the drug problem in their neighborhoods, there's been a
lot of stories concerning the ongoing crystal meth problem.

Unfortunately, feel-good activities like holding signs do nothing to
temporarily or permanently solve the drug problem. Imposing harsher
penalties on drug offenders won't work, either, because that's what we've
been doing all along, with little result.

Blue-ribbon panels created by the governor's office discussing the drug
problem won't work, either, because they don't involve any stakeholders. (I
know, let's form an anti-drug task force. Yeah, right.)

We cannot keep doing the same things and expect different results. We have
to use our collective creativity in designing new strategies to fight this
problem. That's where the solution lies.

George Gersaba
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk