SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN EFFORTS TO CURB METH USE

October 31 - Lt. Governor Aiona announced that significant progress has been made in coordinated efforts to curb the use of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, across Hawai`i.

Lt. Governor Aiona announced the results during a news conference at the State Capitol, where he brought together law enforcement officials to highlight ongoing efforts to protect residents and visitors from crime.

"We must continue to take an aggressive and collective approach to address our drug and property crime issues," said Lt. Governor Aiona. "These are the types of crimes that destroy families and tear at the fabric of our society."

The Lt. Governor credited coordinated efforts for a steady reduction in ice use in the workplace this year. The Lt. Governor said ice use in the workplace has dropped 25 percent in the third quarter of 2007 to its lowest level in years, continuing a steady decline in use this year.

Also, fewer people in adult treatment centers are identifying ice as their primary drug of choice. The Lt. Governor cited statistics that show a drop from 50.2 percent in 2004 to 48.2 percent today.

In addition, the Lt. Governor cited statistics that show the number of meth labs discovered in the state has decreased from 19 in 2004 to three this year. Figures include labs seized, lab dump sites, labs with only chemicals, labs with only equipment and labs under investigation. Contributing to the decline are more restrictive laws to purchase active ingredients used in home-based meth labs, said Lt. Governor Aiona.

For example, in 2006 as acting Governor, the Lt. Governor signed into law a bill to reduce the amount of pseudoephedrine that can be sold by a pharmacy or retailer without prescription. It also required products that contain pseudoephedrine to be dispensed, distributed or sold from a secure area, and purchasers must show I.D. and sign for the purchase.

Another key statistic that can be traced to reduced ice use is the reduction in property crimes, which has fallen 24.5 percent between 1996 and 2005.

"These are all very clear signals that we're making significant progress in our efforts to curb the use of ice," said Lt. Governor Aiona.