HawaiiGov. Ige lets decriminalization bill become law!
Last update: January 14, 2020
Gov. David Ige announced that he would let a legislature-passed bill to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis become law.
As of January 11, 2020, possession of three grams or less of marijuana is punishable by a $130 fine. Under previous law, possessing even a tiny amount of cannabis was punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and a possible life-altering criminal record.
Unfortunately, three grams is the smallest amount of any state that has decriminalized (or legalized) simple possession of marijuana.
Still, removing criminal penalties and possible jail time for possession of a small amount of cannabis is an improvement.
Legislation to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for adult-use did not advance in 2019
After its first marijuana legalization hearing in five years, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to approve a bill to allow adults 21 and older to possess, cultivate, and consume marijuana. Unfortunately, the bill did not get through a second panel before the deadline to advance in the legislative process, which killed the bill.
Let your state lawmakers know it’s past time to legalize marijuana.
Voters in 10 states — including every state on the West Coast — have chosen to treat marijuana more like alcohol, by making it legal for adults 21 and older, taxing, and regulating it. (In Vermont and D.C., adult-use possession and cultivation is legal, but there are no regulated sales.) These laws are working well, generating tax revenue, and creating good jobs without creating problems.
Unlike those states, Hawaii lacks a voter initiative process, so only lawmakers can chart a more sensible course. Contact your legislators today urging them to pass legislation to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and older.
Medical cannabis program update
In 2019, legislation was reintroduced to expand Hawaii’s medical marijuana law to include opiate use disorder as a qualifying condition. This legislation carries over to the 2020 session. In 2018, the Hawaii Legislature approved similar legislation, but it was unfortunately vetoed by Gov. David Ige.
On July 10, 2018, Gov. Ige signed HB 2729 — a reciprocity bill — into law. The law allows patients who are registered in other medical marijuana states to use medical cannabis when they visit Hawaii. It also made other improvements, including allowing medical cannabis certifications to last as long as three years for certain conditions and allowing the retesting of cannabis.
One year earlier, in August 2017, Hawaii’s first dispensaries began serving patients, two years after the state’s dispensary law passed and 17 years after Hawaii became the first state to legislatively enact a medical marijuana law (rather than by ballot initiative).
Also that year, the legislature and governor strengthened and expanded Hawaii’s medical marijuana program by enacting HB 1488. The law added rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis to the list of qualifying conditions and allowed patients and caregivers to access testing facilities. Patients and caregivers are allowed to cultivate three additional plants of any maturity, for a total of 10 plants. A planned phasing out of caregivers’ ability to grow marijuana plants for patients was pushed back five years, to the end of 2023.
In addition, the Department of Health is now allowed to permit current licensees to open one additional dispensary — for a possible total of 24 statewide — and to cultivate more plants at their production sites.
Take action!
Speak out: Please ask your legislators to support ending the costly and futile prohibition of marijuana.
Stay connected: To stay updated on the status of marijuana policy reform in Hawaii, be sure to subscribe to MPP’s email alerts.