State legislative session has adjourned

The Hawai'i Legislature ended its 2002 session last Thursday with no action at all on the state's marijuana laws. Instead, legislators concentrated on other matters, primarily on the state's economy.

The legislature did pass a bill, SB 1188, which will require treatment rather than jail for first-time nonviolent drug offenders. However, this bill will not affect marijuana users, who already receive probation rather than jail for a first offense.

This lack of action is good news for patients who qualify for medical marijuana under state law. Last year, that law was in jeopardy due to drug war extremists in the State House and Senate. Those legislators failed to harm the medical marijuana program last year, and the hundreds of letters generated through MPP's Hawai'i Web site helped convince them not to try again.

Please visit /HI to automatically send a letter to your legislators, thanking them for allowing the seriously ill people of Hawai'i to use medical marijuana without fear of arrest.

You can learn more about the 2002 legislative session on MPP's Web site. Thank you for all of your support.