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Episode 1: "45 Patients A Day"

Noah Matteucci

Dr. Daniel Chang estimates 45 patients a day come to the emergency room at Queens Medical Center for some type of methamphetamine-related complaint. The use of crystal methamphetamine is a medical, legal and social crisis that has now entered its third generation in Hawaii.

A dozen years ago, Congress held hearings on the topic, calling them "The Poisoning of Paradise." But despite a dip in publicity, meth hasn't left the islands.

In this episode we hear about the lingering health impacts for older users, and why law enforcement officials, people in the judiciary system and others describe Hawaii's meth use as a crisis. This podcast is produced by Hawaii Public Radio with help from Honolulu Civil Beat.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

The story of crystal methamphetamine in Hawai‘i touches nearly everyone in the islands. We see it in our court rooms, our emergency rooms, and in our families across multiple generations.

Over the next month, you’ll hear these stories in our new podcast series, Hawai‘i’s New Ice Age: Crystal Meth in the Islands. And we also want to give you the opportunity to share yours. 

If you or someone you know has been touched by meth, tell us your story. Email us text, photos, videos, or a voice memo to news@hawaiipublicradio.org. You can also share your story online by using the hashtag #HPRMeth on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

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