Hawai’i Senate Approves Cannabis Legalization Bill Allowing Home Grow, Tax Structure & More
The Hawai’i State Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would legalize and regulate cannabis for adults, with a focus on public safety. The legislation is now heading to the Hawai’i House of Representatives.
Before reaching the Senate floor, SB 3335 SD2, was approved by four committees, which added several amendments that include preventing the removal of children from their homes if parents consume marijuana, preventing the denial of state benefits and entitlements, etc. Expungements or clearing of criminal records related to arrests and penalties for marijuana possession are included in the measure.
“Although this is an imperfect bill that still contains far too many elements of criminalization, it’s welcome news to have a viable adult-use legalization bill that can be improved upon when it reaches the House,” stated Nikos Leverenz, of the Drug Policy Forum of Hawai’i and the Hawai’i Health and Harm Reduction Center. “Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and other members of the Hawaii Alliance for Cannabis Reform are hopeful that our proposed amendments will be considered by the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee. It will also be important for reform advocates to engage skeptical members of the House, including many freshman lawmakers, who have placed far too …