Urge Rep. Arakaki, Chair of House Health Committee, to place "hold" on legislation that would restrict Hawai`i's medical marijuana program

Legislation that would negatively impact Hawai`i's medical marijuana patients will be discussed at a hearing held by House Health Committee Chair Dennis Arakaki (D-Alewa Heights). The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 4, at 9:00 a.m., in Room 329 of the State Capitol.

The bill, H.B. 1218, includes a number of provisions that would place new restrictions on medical marijuana patients and their doctors, including: forcing doctors to keep patient records for five years or face the threat of incarceration; removing the $25 cap on registry fees; restricting those in certain public safety professions from qualifying as patients; and limiting the locations where patients can grow their medicine.

Please take a few minutes to Take Action now to contact House Health Committee Chair Dennis Arakaki. After you choose your favorite pre-written letter and type in your address, our site will automatically e-mail your letter … all with the click of a few buttons. The whole process takes less than two minutes but makes a world of difference. Also, please take a look at the legislation itself—the bill is posted on Hawai`i's Bills Pending page.

To submit written testimony, fax it to the House Sergeant at Arms at (808) 586-6501—or (800) 535-3859 from neighbor islands. Please indicate that your testimony is being submitted to the House Health Committee, and note that the date and time of the hearing is Tuesday, February 4, at 9:00 a.m. You can also submit your testimony via e-mail by sending the same information to testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov.

The federal government's General Accounting Office found no major problems in its audit of Hawai`i's medical marijuana program. The state Legislature should build on the successes of the current program, rather than bog it down with unnecessary, unfair restrictions.