Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to express my appreciation for your holding today's hearing on the rising use of MDMA or Ecstasy. As our witnesses will testify, Ecstasy – the fastest growing illegal drug – is a dangerous chemical and a public health problem. Its perception as a safe and harmless mood enhancing drug is false. There are serious side-effects, including brain damage, depression, and possibly death.
Brain damage–depression–death – this doesn't sound like ecstasy to me.
The use of Ecstasy is on the rise in my home state of Hawaii. It is the only illicit drug to show increased levels of abuse last year. According to a recent study by the Hawaii Department of Health, the use of Ecstasy is increasing, particularly among high school students.
Although Ecstasy use in Hawaii is below the national average, unfortunately, my state has not always lagged behind the mainland on emerging drug use.
Hawaii's law enforcement agencies and health officials were the first to identify the threat of crystal methamphetamine, known in the islands as ice or crystal meth. This smokable form of methamphetamine came to Hawaii in the mid-1980s and continues to be the biggest drug problem facing the state.
Eleven years ago, I proposed the first federal legislation to increase the penalties for trafficking in crystal meth. I also sponsored legislation to place restrictions on the purchase of precursor drugs -- the chemical components used to manufacture crystal meth.
While ice remains the overall illegal drug of choice in Hawaii, law enforcement and public health officials are targeting Ecstasy as well. In 1999, Hawaii was designated a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, or HIDTA, which is helping to interdict the flow of drugs into the state. We are fighting the spread of crystal meth through this federal, state, and local partnership, and we will fight the use of Ecstasy as well.
This summer, the Honolulu Police Department created a special unit to target Ecstasy. A key component will have task force members talking to young people and business that host rave parties where Ecstasy may be used about the dangers of the drug.
Mr. Chairman, again, I would like to thank you for calling today's hearing on Ecstasy. I look forward to our witnesses' testimony on the scope of the Ecstasy problem, and I thank them for being with us.
