Illegal drugs cause irreparable harm

It is disheartening to keep reading the old libertarian rationale for legalizing drugs ("Drug war a failure, world leaders agree," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 1). Legalization proponents do not care about the millions of families destroyed by drug use. Street drugs lead to psychosis, often reducing users to total dependency.

It’s been estimated that about 25 percent of drug users lose interest in accomplishment and cannot hold jobs or don’t want to and some turn to crime. Many stop supporting their children. The brains of people 21 and under are still in crucial stages of development. The use of drugs or alcohol by young people can result in a lifetime of mental illness.

We should all be strong opponents of illicit drug use because every dollar spent keeps suppliers invested in the lifestyle and doomed to poor education, less empowerment and little chance of improvement for them and their children.

John Hansen
Honolulu

Not all germs at home are harmful

The article "Home germs: The hidden enemy" (Star-Advertiser, Nov. 29) contained some good advice; unfortunately, the sensationalistic assertion that all microorganisms are bad is incorrect and obscures the valuable messages. The human body harbors 100 trillion good bacteria that compete with the harmful viruses and bacteria that threaten our health. Killing good germs leaves us vulnerable to the dangerous ones.

Environmental surveys of common household items frequently show high presence of bacteria but fail to report that this bacteria is mainly normal skin organisms. Why is it surprising that toothbrushes contain microbes that are normally found in the mouth? That said, sick humans can also deposit harmful organisms, which is why good hand and body hygiene is so important. Safe handling and preparation of food is also an important point buried in the story. Remember, if not for microbes, we would be without wonderful things such as breads, cheeses, and fermented beverages. Microorganisms also serve an important role in agriculture and have exciting potential in many areas of applied science. While it is important to take prudent precautions to keep your family healthy, launching a full-scale war on germs in your home is the wrong message.

Caitlin Saucier A. Christian Whelen
Hawaii Department of Health

Crackdown needed on some homeless

The picture on the front page of the local section of the Star-Advertiser speaks loudly of our true homeless debacle ("Homeless back in park as soon as city cleans it," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 1). The homeless who truly need our help don’t mind the rules necessary to stay in the shelters. They have fallen upon hard times and need support and encouragement, happy to have a safe place for their families off the streets.

Too many are outlaws ruling our state, toying with law enforcement. Homeless are defecating on public property and creating garbage. Drugs and alcohol are everywhere. Laws are being broken every day; it’s a joke. When will someone take a stand to end this charade, and not be afraid of the consequences?

Candas Lee Rego
Kailua

Families simply can’t afford homes

The "affordable" housing for the homeless has reached capacity! And yet we still have homeless all over the west side of the island. Obviously, there aren’t enough programs and homes out there for people. The general public likes to talk about the homeless like they are not even human beings. When I see children getting ready for school coming off the beaches and pregnant mothers coming out of tents, it totally breaks my heart. I believe the federal government and the state need to do more.

And why does it seem like all the families are on the west side? People don’t realize a lot of these people can no longer pay rent or get affordable housing. They have jobs, but cannot afford shelter. We have locals living on the beaches and yet our biggest housing complexes in the state are filled with immigrants from other countries. To me, that is upsetting.

Alice Lenchanko
Ewa Beach

HPD presence can help curb accidents

As I drive along the streets and freeways of this fair city, doing the posted speed limit, I see my fellow motorists passing me at at least 10 to 15 mph over that posted speed limit. As a friend told me when I first moved here, "Green lights means go, yellow lights mean go faster and a red light means we have time for two more." He also cautioned me about stepping off a curb without waiting a few seconds before trying to cross the street. Recently, Mariah Danforth-Moore was killed by a hit-and-run driver for doing just that, simply trying to cross the street. And she has not been the only one.

I’m not naive enough to believe that the Honolulu Police Department can be everywhere all the time, but maybe if HPD was more visible, motorists would be less likely to ignore intersections and crosswalks.

Quintin Bibbs
Aiea

Developers donate to cover themselves

I have been a resident of Ewa Beach since 1958 and what Haseko does hasn’t surprised me. When you have the money, you can do a lot of things. Just think about those buyers who bought homes at Hoakalei, thinking there was going to be a marina there — is Haseko going to reimburse them?

That’s why these huge companies donate money and land to the community — to cover themselves. They did it to us on Papipi Road when they were building Ocean Pointe. They built this huge wall, blocking our view of the mountains, so their homes were looking down at us peasants.

Tom Phillips
Ewa Beach