Marijuana Legalization Bill up for Consideration in Hawaii

On January 23, several marijuana bills in Hawaii passed their first readings. One of those bills would legalize recreational use. Another bill would allow medical marijuana patients to purchase from collectives that are formed legally in the state.

State Senator Russell Ruderman supports legal recreational marijuana for adults ages 21 an over, according to West Hawaii Today. Another bill introduced by Ruderman would allow individual counties to adopt ordinances regarding marijuana from cultivation to possession.

Ruderman said, “Some of my colleagues say we’ll be surprised, so I hope they’re right. The nation is changing quickly on (this) subject.”

A co-sponsored bill with Ruderman and House representative Joy San Buenaventura proposes legislation to establish state-regulated collectives. Collectives would be where patients/caregivers who are growing to sell excess medical marijuana to others in the collective for a specified fee. It’s a “neighbors helping neighbors” concept that some Hawaii lawmakers believe will be successful.

San Buenaventura said, “The reality is, dispensaries are taking too damn long (to open). So by having a collective, it allows those with excess marijuana – more than they can use – to provide to other patients who cannot grow their own. It allows them to give it to those who need it.”

A few of the other marijuana-related bills proposed are:

• No registration fees for veterans
• Reconsideration of Schedule I status under state classification
• Drugged driving regulations and determination of a standardized BAC level for THC
• Ban of additives or appeal of marijuana products to children
• Cap on medical marijuana retail prices and marijuana-infused products (would go into effect July 2018)
• THC limits on marijuana-infused products with warning labels present
• Explanations of the qualifying conditions
• 10-percent tax taken in from sales for mental health and substance abuse funds
• Holding of any video or recorded footage of dispensary activities/production facilities for 45 days

Every single bill introduced passed its first reading. Further votes and/or discussions have not been given dates yet.