Hawaii: Gov. Linda Lingle signals intent to snub medical marijuana patients — again

Although both chambers of the Hawaii State Legislature overwhelmingly approved SB 1058, which would establish a task force to examine crucial issues surrounding Hawaii's medical marijuana law, Gov. Lingle has signaled her intent to veto this much-needed legislation.

Please call Governor Lingle's office today and ask her to reconsider her stance on SB 1058 and sign it into law.

Over the next several days, Gov. Lingle's office will consider public comments and further examine the provisions of SB 1058 in order to come to a final decision on whether or not to veto it. Gov. Lingle has until July 15 to veto or sign SB 1058 into law, after which the bill becomes law with or without her signature. After you have called Gov. Lingle's office, please follow up with an e-mail reminding her that the voters support SB 1058 and that it would be in her best interest to do the same.

Even if Gov. Lingle is unwilling to carry out the will of the very people who elected her into office, legislators can still override her veto. In fact, the Senate voted 21-1 to override her veto of a similar bill last session, but the House failed to follow suit, leaving Hawaii without a task force to study important issues relevant to Hawaii's medical marijuana program.

Please send your legislators an e-mail today asking them to override if Gov. Lingle vetoes SB 1058.

Thank you for supporting a better medical marijuana law for Hawaii, which can start by convening a task force to study how the current law works and ways to improve it. With the help of people like you, we can ensure that SB 1058 becomes law this year. Please forward this alert to others in Hawaii who might also be interested in doing what is right for Hawaii's sick and dying.