‘Ice’ on the rise again  Villagomez

Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez yesterday warned the community that the sale of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “ice” is on the rise again.

Although there is no available data yet from the Department of Public Health to prove the growing addiction to “ice”, Villagomez said he was approached by former patients who want to seek medical treatment again.

“It has become easy to obtain ice again. The CNMI’s public enemy number one is back,” he said.

The health chief also cited the growing incidents of violence such as wife beating and criminal activities, the same pattern when the use of the prohibited drug was rampant in 1992-1995, he added.

Some of the worst possible crimes on the island have been traced to the use of illegal drugs. In 1997, a mother of four was killed by a former prosecutor believed to be under the influence of “ice”. The man is now languishing in jail serving life imprisonment.

Ten murder cases were logged in 1995 when sale of the illegal drug was widespread.

Immediately, Villagomez met with the staff of the Division of Mental Health and Services to revive its campaign against drug addiction. “We need to warn the public once again that ‘ice’ is slowly creeping in the community. We will intensify our preventive program and education campaign because this will destroy the future of the CNMI,” he added.

Villagomez expressed concern on the spread of “ice” addiction to the youth as he prodded parents to be observant on the change in behavior of their children and help in educating them about the dangers of drug addiction.

“This is very alarming and should be a concern of everybody. I don’t want to wait for the situation to get worse because we don’t have enough resources to solve this problem,” he said.

The department is asking the Division of Customs and the Department of Public Safety to step up its efforts in curbing the spread of “ice” in the community.

In 1997 local and federal authorities in the Northern Marianas seized some $1.8 million worth of drugs, bulk of which was heroin.

Authorities said the illegal drugs confiscated were 64.05 lbs. of marijuana worth $138,605; 378.80 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride valued at $267,448.50; and 28 lbs. of heroin worth $1.4 million.

Fifty-one people were arrested in connection with the seizure.

Officials said this figure alone indicates that the CNMI has yet to win its battle against drugs, particularly on “ice”, the present choice of drug here. Villagomez said the rise in drug addiction should be a cause of concern considering that the Northern Marianas is so small and its population is just over 60,000.

On the claim of some people that legalizing marijuana will help decrease addiction to prohibited drugs, Villagomez immediately brushed aside the idea saying it will even make the situation worse.

“Ice users will only use marijuana as a bargaining tool to get hold of the substance. Marijuana does not have any place on this island just like ice,” he said.