Hawaii Drug Treatment Center
Known for its beautiful, lush setting and rejuvenating, laid-back atmosphere, Hawaii has long since been one of the most coveted vacation destinations in the world. What many fail to realize, however, is the serious threat that drug addiction and alcoholism is posing to hundreds of native inhabitants.
Over the course of the past several decades, the state has been ravaged by innumerable cases of methamphetamine dependency. While meth poses the greatest drug-related threat to Hawaii residents by far, numerous other illicit substances have been wreaking havoc as well. Cocaine abuse continues to claim the lives of Hawaiian men and women, and the national opiate epidemic that the continental US has been battling for several years is beginning to make its way to the major islands. Take a look at the history of drug addiction in Hawaii as well as the current state of affairs, and know that if you or someone you love is battling a substance dependency of any kind, help is available – and you are not alone.
Cocaine and Other Drugs
Methamphetamine is widely used – but far from socially acceptable. As in many other regions of the United States, snorting a line or two of high-quality cocaine at a classy get-together is exceedingly less taboo than lighting up the old meth pipe. Unfortunately, casual cocaine use may rapidly turn to dependency. Cocaine is currently ranked as Hawaii’s third most significant drug threat, closely following marijuana. Powdered cocaine is easily accessible throughout most of the major Hawaiian Islands, and it remains relatively inexpensive. In Maui specifically, cocaine distribution is predominantly controlled by Mexican organizations. These organizations also distribute black tar heroin throughout the west side of the island. While heroin is not nearly as popular as meth, the national heroin epidemic has influenced the rates of use throughout the state to a certain degree, and opiate abuse is on the rise.
Hawaii and Drug Addiction
The Hawaiian Islands are inhabited by somewhere around 1.2 million people, and accommodate the largest ethnic variety of any of the United States. More than 7 million tourists visit the Islands on an annual basis, most flying into the Honolulu National Airport in Oahu from the mainland, Asia, and Canada. Though this is the largest airport in the state, there are airfields and airports on 6 of the 8 major islands. Why is the number of Hawaiian airports so significant? The majority of illicit substances currently in circulation throughout the state were either brought into territory by aircraft passengers, or shipped via the US Postal Service or other air-oriented shipping companies.
The state itself is made up of eight major islands as well as a 1,500-mile chain of small inlets. In total, the state covers upwards of 6,420 miles in the North Pacific Central Ocean. The Honolulu District Office is a part of the Los Angeles Field Division, though it is located roughly 2,500 miles from the remainder of the country. The Area of Responsibility (or AOR) that the Honolulu District Office covers includes Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Saipan, and The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Methamphetamine in Hawaii
Hawaii has been the capital of methamphetamine use throughout the country since the mid 1980s, and has been responsible for more cases of addiction throughout the state than any other drugs combined. Most of the meth throughout the region was initially transported from Mexico or California, and the NDIC has since labeled Hawaii as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. It was recently estimated that somewhere over 120,000 inhabitants currently use methamphetamine, and residents of all social standings and demographics have been majorly impacted.
Addiction Help is Available
Despite the steadily increasing demand for adequate help in Hawaii, the amount of professional and affordable Hawaii drug treatment centers still remains somewhat low. We at Maui Recovery believe that Hawaii Drug Treatment should be accessible to all those who seek it. Our specific program of recovery is available to all men and women who are suffering from substance dependency issues and actively seeking a better way of life. We incorporate Hawaiian cultural principles with proven therapeutic and holistic techniques, providing each of our clients with a comprehensive and personalized treatment experience. For more information, call 800-919-2066 today.