SonicNet Report...

Substance abuse assessment filed with Hawaii court says singer doesn't need to undergo drug treatment.  The marijuana charge against Whitney Houston in Hawaii was dropped Monday (5 March 2001) after the singer cleared a substance abuse assessment.

The assessment, done in Houston's home state of New Jersey and delivered to a district court in Kealakekua, Hawaii, said there was no need for the singer to undergo drug treatment, according to the Honolulu Star Bulletin.

The misdemeanor charge stemmed from a January 11, 2000, incident in which   Keahole-Kona International Airport security seized Houston's handbag, claiming it contained approximately a half-ounce of marijuana. Houston boarded a plane before police arrived.

Houston pleaded no contest to the charge of promoting a detrimental drug in the third degree in November, and was ordered to pay $4,025 in fines, court fees and donations to charity. In exchange for the charge being dropped, Houston also agreed to stay drug-free for three months, but after she failed to turn in the substance abuse assessment before a hearing last month, prosecutors filed a motion to throw out her no-contest plea and resentence her.

--Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen

NEWSFILE: 10 MARCH 2001