Several positive marijuana bills on the legislative agenda this session
Last update: February 8, 2008
Last year was a good year for marijuana policy reform in Hawaii. Besides several excellent bills making significant headway in the state legislature, Hawaii County also stepped up to the plate.
In an extraordinary showing of self-reliance and solidarity, the Hawaii County Council respected the wishes of its citizens by voting unanimously to reject $582,000 of federal "Green Harvest" money. The rejection of this money, which helped fund the Hawaii Police Department's 29-year-old practice of renting helicopters to eradicate marijuana, could signal a trend in states that are tired of continuing to support the federal government's failed war on marijuana. Over 70 concerned citizens showed up for one hearing to urge the council to reject the money, citing the disturbance of livestock, frightening of children, invasion of privacy, and police harassment as reasons to just say no to the money.
This legislative session, activists, legislators, patients, and concerned citizens continue to push for the reformation of Hawaii's marijuana laws.
Bills on the legislative agenda that would expand Hawaii's current medical marijuana law
SB 2547
This medical marijuana expansion bill would improve Hawaii's medical marijuana law in several ways, including: allowing reciprocity with other medical marijuana states; increasing the caregiver/patient ratio from 1:1 to 1:5; increasing patient possession limits from 3 ounces/7 plants to 7 ounces/12 plants; removing the confusing distinction between mature and immature plants; protecting patients from property seizure; protecting a patient's ability to rent or lease a home; making the application process more user-friendly; and requiring the Department of Health to set up an expedited protocol for adding additional "debilitating medical conditions."
HB 2678
Qualifying patients would be eligible to lease plots inside a secure growing facility for cultivating their medicine. The proposed facility would be located on the island of Maui and set up so that each plot could accommodate up to seven plants, with a maximum of 14 plots. This would allow up to 14 patients to have access to a safe and continuous supply of their medicine. The facility would be limited to a total of 98 plants, which is good because federal mandatory minimum sentences are triggered at 100 plants. A certified facilitator would be employed to assist patients in selecting strains and growing and to serve as a general source of horticultural knowledge. The facility would be secured by electric-eye technology, security cameras with a satellite uplink to enable relaying and recording of images in a local police station, motion detectors, security dogs, and two fences.
HB 2675
Provides for reciprocity with other medical marijuana states.
HB 2871
Appropriates funds for the University of Hawaii to study the medical efficacy of marijuana in its various forms of delivery as well as the reclassification of medical marijuana as a schedule III controlled substance.
Please keep an eye out for alerts on these and other medical marijuana improvement bills.
Bills that seek to make sensible changes to the way Hawaii deals with the adult use of marijuana
HB 2677
Directs state and county law enforcement officers to make investigation, citation, and arrest for private adult marijuana offenses the lowest law enforcement priority.
HB 2676
Authorizes the possession of less than one ounce of marijuana by a person 21 or older.
Urge you legislators to consider decriminalizing adult use and possession of small amounts of marijuana
Write a LTE calling for the removal of penalties for adults who possess small amounts of marijuana
For more information about the status of marijuana policy reform in Hawaii, please contact MPP Legislative Analyst Nathan Miller at (202) 462-5747, ext. 118, or at
Nathan@mpp.org.
If you are member of the Hawaii Bar or law enforcement community who believes that our current marijuana laws need reforming, please send an email to Nathan@mpp.org to see how you can be of special help.
Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project and all of our allies. To stay updated on the status of marijuana policy reform in Hawaii, be sure to subscribe to MPP's free legislative alert service.
