CREATE TABLE old_item (
       item_id   CHAR(20),
       item_desc CHAR(25)
       );



INSERT INTO old_item VALUES('LA-101', 'Can, Small');
INSERT INTO old_item VALUES('LA-102', 'Can, Large');
INSERT INTO old_item VALUES('LA-103', 'Bottle, Small');
INSERT INTO old_item VALUES('LA-104', 'Bottle, Large');
INSERT INTO old_item VALUES('NY-101', 'Box, Small');
INSERT INTO old_item VALUES('NY-102', 'Box, Large');


SELECT item_desc,
         SUBSTR(item_desc,
                1,
                INSTR(item_desc,
                      ',',
                      1
                      ) -1
                )
  FROM   old_item;