Issue Position: Reduce Crime, Including Drug-Induced.

Issue Position

This district was shocked late last fall when Young St. resident Jordan Smith fired 7-10 shots in front of Waikiki's Club Alley Cat, killing one and injuring two others. Smith's roommate and shooting witness, Isaiah McCoy, was convicted of a mainland drug-related murder later overturned. McCoy was arrested this year for promoting prostitution by force. Shortly after the Alley Cat murder, a Marine was stabbed to death at the corner of Royal Hawaiian and Kalakaua avenues. The deaths led to a December military designation of Waikiki as a "high risk area".

Since last July, there have been more than 1,000 violent, substance-abuse related incidents in the Waikiki tourist area. No question drugs, including opioids, are a rising problem here. Opioid addiction is up from 50,000 residents a decade ago to 150,000 today, and addiction-related medical costs have more than doubled over the period to $111 million a year. Roughly 400,000 residents take pain-killers each year. Hawaii officials report that, currently, only 10% of the medical providers required by the state to sign up for a database drug-monitoring program actually use the program.

Sharon agrees drug addiction is a chronic illness requiring treatment. But to treat, we must first identify the patient. As our senator, Sharon will, through legislation, put teeth in the legal requirement to comply with the state's database drug-monitoring program, currently only 10% effective, by providing the Department of Public Safety adequate funding to build its database, and by also allowing the Department of Health access individual records directly.

In addition, Sharon favors eliminating so-called "cabaret licenses" in Waikiki and elsewhere that allow patrons to drink until 4:00am, then pour out onto the streets causing trouble.

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