Rules can hinder pain treatments

Sunday’s excellent article on prescription drug abuse in Hawaii points out the need to address this pervasive problem ("Addiction leads to tragic ends," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 7). But it must be recognized that the majority of users who depend on opiate medications for chronic pain control and other medical conditions do so under close supervision by their physician or pain management clinic.

Hawaii is already addressing this issue by having all patients sign a legal document indicating that they will obtain their prescriptions for opiate medications from just one physician. This effectively prevents what is commonly referred to as "doctor shopping," where people attempt to obtain multiple prescriptions for controlled drugs from several doctors.

For some unexplained reason, patients are now frequently unable to refill prescriptions for certain opiate drugs because several major pharmacies on Oahu apparently fail to maintain a sufficient supply. Patients precluded from doctor shopping must now engage in "pharmacy shopping."

Sometimes, stricter rules to mitigate prescription drug abuse can negatively affect legitimate users of narcotics and other controlled medications.

Robert Engelbardt
Kailua

Rail project wreaks havoc

I am very anti-rail.Other than the fact that it will serve a small and limited area at great expense, and will be barely used, we as a state cannot afford it.

The rail transit project is already wreaking havoc on our congested freeways and streets. I am sure it will go untended like all of our wonderful projects.

The news that the H-3 tunnels have almost no ventilation fans that work is just the frosting on the big messy cake. Please consider what would happen if a car had any sort of fire in there. What would you do?

Barbara Williams
Waialua

HECO should be publicly owned

Thanks to state Rep. Chris Lee for saying we should consider converting Hawaiian Electric Industries from for-profit monopolies to nonprofit public ownership ("NextEra’s offer to buy HECO prompts questions about Hawaii energy future," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Dec. 7).

I think our leaders should authorize a feasibility study of conversion to ownership by customers (similar to the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative) and/or local governments — including funding sources and possible use of eminent domain — before the sale to NextEra, another for-profit monopoly, is considered for approval.

For example, the guaranteed profits of Hawaiian Electric shareholders, taxes paid as a for-profit entity, customer funds invested in foreign power or other projects to increase shareholder profits, and money spent on public relations telling us how "green" Hawaiian Electric intends to become might be used to help pay for conversion to public ownership.

There are several hundred customer-owned electricity cooperatives on the mainland, and several hundred municipally owned electric utilities. So there may be no shortage of examples that could be followed.

Tom Brandt
Downtown Honolulu

70-plus folks can contribute much

I cringed at the letter by Margaret M. Giles ("Age limits should apply to politicians," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 8), but then on the opposite page, saw the column written by David Brooks of The New York Times ("Ending your life at age 75 is to miss the best years").

Brooks’ article talks about the skills that are more developed in maturity, and the real advantage of having balance in affairs of life.

For example: the ability to see the same situation from multiple perspectives; the ability to be at ease with the downsides of life; and in conclusion, "experienced heads have intuitive awareness of the landscape of reality, a feel for what other people are thinking and feeling, an instinct for how events will flow."

Of course not all elders are able to continue work at 70, and many want to retire long before, but many 70-plus folks have the ability to make very solid contributions to the world.

Marilyn B. Lee
Mililani

Fed-up fans will fire Chow

I think it was a mistake to announce that Norm Chow is staying as University of Hawaii-Manoa head football coach.The man seems to be very nice and very intelligent, and clearly he knows football and knows the players. He is about the last person I would want to fire, but the verdict of the fans is that we need to try another coach for the team.

If the athletics director won’t fire Chow, then I think the fans will.Attendance at UH football games should tell us that the fans are fed up. If attendance continues to decline, the coach will have been fired by the fans.And I think the university will find it would have been cheaper to pay the coach to go away than to suffer a loss of revenue from declining attendance at the games.

I am not sure that June Jones is the right guy for the job.Could he really find a couple more outstanding quarterbacks for UH as he did previously?It seems unlikely.But I’d be happy with whoever is the best person for the job.

Mark Terry
Wahiawa

Save football with new coach

Under University of Hawaii-Manoa head football coach Norm Chow, the Warrior football team completed its third straight losing season.

Season-ticket renewals and attendance for games at Aloha Stadium have been going down since the end of 2013.

The free fall of losing football revenues has continued with the 2014 season-ticket renewal and very small attendance at our home games.

Revenues will continue to fall dangerouslyif Chow and his staff are allowed to return in 2015. Hawaii fans want a new experienced head coach who will bring in his own staff and resurrect Hawaii football again.

Melvin Partido Sr.
Pearl City

Public housing could use ADUs

The city is discussing a revision to the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) zoning rules for single-family neighborhoods. There likely will be opposition from Oahu’s affluent neighborhoods.

City Council hearings must include a due-diligence review for increasing occupancy levels.Street parking studies for narrow one-way streets as well as increased sewer, water and electrical capacity studies need to be done.Rates must be established for property tax increases, refuse charges and utility capacity increases.

Increasing the occupancy for older multifamily buildings should be considered.All public or subsi- dized housing should be allowed to subdivide rooms to increase occupancy.Occupants could share kitchens and bathrooms. This type of occupancy is illegal under the city’s present zoning rules but is actively done in today’s rental market for those willing to live in micro units.

Making ADUs within older multifamily buildings can be a more productive program for increasing rental availability for the low-income population.

Tania Jonatan
Kaimuki