HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 1018.006 2004-2006
Matthew Brittain, MA, LCSW, DCSW, DABFSW, DABS, SAP
Diplomate, Clinical Social Work, NASW
Diplomate, American Board of Sexology
Diplomate, American College of Forensic Examiners
U.S. DOT Certified Substance Abuse Professional
56 Waianuenue Ave. Suite #207 Hilo HI 96720
(808) 934-7566 934-9442 (Fax)
brittainpronsprynet.com
GJ
Date: August 22, 2006
Dear County Council:
x,
RE: INSUFICIENCY OF METHAPMHETAMINE CONTROL EFFORTS
As a US, DOT Substance Abuse Professional, and as a member of the American Board of
Forensic Examiners, and as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I am duty-bound by my
professional bodies to take action to prevent harm whenever possible. This includes
taking political action, and voicing my professional opinion at times when it is
appropriate. This is a time where my professional opinion is needed and when I can assist
you, as decision-makers, to come to an informed decision as to the use of funding for the
use of drug control in this county.
In the situation of drug abuse the best possible intervention is a combined regulation and
control, social rehabilitation, and medical approach. With good, adequate medical
treatment, social system support services, and regulation approaches, the public can be
steered away from highly destructive drugs such as methamphetamine. What has
happened, though, in Hawaii County, is that the valuable resources that have been used to
combat marijuana could have been used to control the much more dangerous
methamphetamine. This has caused reactions that law enforcement could not, or refused
to, foresee. This result has been a reduction of the availability of cannabis, with a
resultant increase in the cost on the black market. The drug-using public, then, uses
methamphetamine since it is less expensive and easier to procure than marijuana. The end
result is a huge increase in methamphetamine addiction and dealing, and all the resultant
death and destruction that is associated with this.
1, therefore, recommend that money that has been used for marijuana eradication be used
for methamphetamine control. I am aware that this would result in the increased
availability of marijuana on the black market. In substance abuse Harm Reduction
fashion, though, the use of cannabis is less destructive than the use of methamphetamine.
Overall health and safety of the public would increase as a result of this harm reduction
approach. As a drug abuse specialist and health care provider it is my professional
opinion that the laws that criminalize marijuana are more harmful than the drug itself.
Comm. No. MV-9
Ref. 7 0 "RaLA RA, Uate AUf 2 i 2006
I believe that the optimum approach to this issue is through the control and regulation of
marijuana through legalization and taxation. In this way hundreds of thousands of dollars
in tax revenue could be generated. That money could be used to fight the
methapmhetamine problem. Regulation and control of marijuana would also take the
drug off the black market, and hence drug dealers would not be as involved as they are
now. In this way new drug users (including children) would be less exposed to both hard
drugs through illegal drug dealers and marijuana in general, as they would be carded for
age to buy it from stores.
Radical problems, like the methamphetamine problem, demand radical solutions.
Regulation and control of cannabis through taxation would seriously reduce the
methamphetamine problem. I propose that the County Council develop and pass a
resolution that places marijuana enforcement at the lowest possible level of concern, such
that valuable resources can be used to combat the methamphetamine issues.
Sincerely,
Matt~ttain, MA, LCSW, DCSW, DABFSW, DABS, SAP
p} G M:~ w m 7 m ?'S A? 0, d S~°~ o S~ o` ~ m e w O' O O
~ rt O ~ rt UQ (A ;g " ~ 5 `c` 0 3 ~ 3
?~r 7/,~,~~~~{r~ FN /y/~ a F a n. w
m A y Fw w+ M+. V'R ~ ~ ~ py,7 A V °~t ~ v z ~ vFi ~ w r ^ ~ y
rat,
~ ~ CI! A^, rt h'S ~ ?~~1 1/+y( ~ i.ar ~D u O.. S N O ~o ro ' ~ y
~S J ~ 0 ir, lY ~ ~ Na... r w rt CN fQ ~..'O ~ PI
j r ~ (J l V ~N,~1. 4 l~yV `y ~ F,w} `+r? O /yN~ ~ a• S ~ 7' n ~ ~ N cn ~
g, rt h,/ 1~'N F,~ /~j\ i` lV P' l0 [~0 7 n i 4 O Q .7J
fl+
no 04
Vi O it ~ rbo o v vai w` o va
b (fl ~ 5.°0 o y d o. 3~ ~
N Q w
c t < c
o d H ,d p bq d1 H V7 d S n d y 'O N O w ,y a' O !'S ro f"n{
° o X70 ~m m A' ^ e ~w ° ° c n a A~ ;U wt C)
m ~ ~ p' o ° ~c z ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ` A ~ me a ~ ~ o A. rAR PF `5
5 t*1 m N 5 r' A = m < O w .t A (fl 1"( C/1 1~/
eD p' h w •G w y O 5 7 ti ll s° n -~i O pq Gq 7'7
p,xn,a 3 :.x w, o rt 9 y M e~F cn Ul Q
m n.y 4 m p o m? ° am ° c an 3 xU Ui
e 'a m
u^ ry w K o< 7 C 3. ti W A B
~ w w 7' m w n 'v a m o n? O GO rf
w to N X O 7 ro n O ti O 7 w F O C N 'O A r+ "~~S
w 7 O .f tl0 O. W; on CT n N m ° `t O O m
cr CD
ry c tE 'IG O A !0 vwi O a S d.'Oi- O. O tD w ell-
.3 w.r ~.r CD
o~m :Lai .°ofDc 0 a ',3 ~wr7 ¢1
c•em }~o~m°O,n~^.ax my.`D,a'•~mi~~ f ~+pr~ ti.:~
R N (p r"7 r
m ri c rt~ 5". n R n z C ~ 5 d W O .z q a'
° a ~ L. w c o ~ m m a ee m = 0 W A o n m w~ K
a rT y c p wGw io 7 ,x p., oo G'~i r n
0 o C1 °f rt rt n 7 P. O ti Ot w t W m O 'A
O m wm O G y G p00
rb o t5 t,
eL-
> D E O 8 o- vOKi O t~ y vOi 7 a y0' L H 1 '1 p w O
EL a
5 n v w x- a o w w n° w . ep C w
a n - F a a o a w A a w f a s p
w° ti A q m N w n D S a o g O
o.
^ A w z o` n a m m ro N io w 3 0 nni n a'
v. R o m n G' v n N { p^ a o w" Q ~o S w (o ~ O
i0 25 O N iti O fa! y O 7 Uwa v
y F rt 4
N ~ ~ - - ~ 5 0 3 ~,w., m a -r io n`. r0o o p o
C c ~ O O ~ a^,. O vw, a O C tN ° K d~ ~ C
w w w w W C>' ~ o
k C o ui y T P c n VI r+ n
L~ "tl o R o a in Y' _
n =r (D
0 IL
z n a d F c ?C r. C K O T
M X Q lQ LU
z ao a ~ 0 ~
w Vi P. v W c H• £ n • v G w~ rt w• y i n T•
n
x ~ r. c ~aa"~o,~ a~.a,w,y cdwow'1°~Ha ~ wo".n yy i-t'O
o RE fD a m £ m a w o 6 `c' o o m° ° wy c c n v y A
C ~ v o, o ~ w~ y~ a°~ w° c G woo d w& 'C
~D P1 " o. w a ~ c m' m w m ti 7 d.• r, ~ ~ ~ A ° o ~ a- z 3 m rt (9
£ JAL 9 dQ G w w o
w w ja P O OG a Q r O a s 7 0q RT Q ~~'I +"A
F y 'z o d T m w w n° E B o s ° o o
•3a ~ ~ ~ s 0 ~ ~ w G a = m c ~ .o m G y rt a. p n ° a ~ O p
q v 9 O a G cti -•e_ m ` O 5? a m Y m Y ' v` m n W aE ,O V
O 6
as w y 6 3, w S H ^ ~r W O £ ° ' r= e)
T m ~n n M a F uo y 'j 2 O O R C G w fa'., ry £G fD
a O O G a w o v O~ ~ p^ o~ ro S G. o G ow i n OE n' M
.1.' ~ n 3 y °E 3 ~ E n^ F "'m w a ~ °c C,r » H ° 'v Al fD
G ry n N n 0 w£ S ~a A pF w 2 S~ A a .°.n. ~ m w~ ~ y
p r~.~ rt `c w' d a c n_ c. E E O ; A S5 -°e N a n ` a ~ w g O
Ej.
w n ~ v o vim, ,a. rc " c 'n m it C n. m w rt n m
7
N
a
t
C
' ' n Ei3
m
y
00 O
k
0 `Y
Q
X