LIHU‘E — What do Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi, Kamehameha Schools Trustee Micah Kane and Grove Farm President and Chief Executive Officer Warren Haruki have in common? Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of articles on methamphetamine
LIHU‘E — What do Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi, Kamehameha Schools Trustee Micah Kane and Grove Farm President and Chief Executive Officer Warren Haruki have in common?
Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of articles on methamphetamine use in Hawai‘i.
LIHU‘E — What do Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi, Kamehameha Schools Trustee Micah Kane and Grove Farm President and Chief Executive Officer Warren Haruki have in common?
Besides being leaders in Hawai‘i, they are all members of the advisory council of the Hawai‘i Meth Project.
For Haruki, the decision to get involved was an easy one, he said.
“The Hawai‘i Meth Project is so important to Kaua‘i, especially when our youth feel that meth is easy to acquire and there is little to no risk to trying it once or twice,” said Haruki.
“The truth is that meth has devastating effects on our children, families and our community. For this reason, I am involved and I urge all citizens to join the efforts to prevent meth use — not even once,” he said.
The project slogan is “not even once,” referring to the highly addictive nature of methamphetamine that oftentimes gets people hooked or physically addicted after just one use.
“We have seen significant change to teen and young-adult attitudes based on results as reported by the survey, and as Warren Haruki stated it’s critically important that we continue to have support from all facets of the community as we endeavor to change not just attitudes but behaviors with teens and young adults moving forward,” said Cindy Adams, executive director of the Hawai‘i Meth Project, referring to results of a study released earlier this month indicating greater awareness among Hawai‘i teens and young adults in terms of the dangers of meth.
“He’s a leader in the community, well-respected, a very valuable contributor,” Adams said of Haruki.
“Warren has been very, very helpful in that regard,” a community leader, helpful, supportive, she said.
Adams, a resident of Waikoloa on the Big Island, said Kenoi got involved in Big Island anti-drug efforts when he served on an anti-ice task force under former Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, and has remained engaged with the Hawai‘i Meth Project even after Kenoi was elected mayor.
• Paul C. Curtis, assistant editor and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com.
