The Hawaiian legislative conference committee working out the differences in medical marijuana dispensary programs proposed by the House and Senate has come to an agreement. HB 321 will initially allow eight dispensaries (three on Oahu, two each on Big Island and Maui, and one on Kauai). Starting in 2017, the state health department will be allowed to issue more licenses as needed. Each dispensary license will allow the holder to have two cultivation sites with up to 3,000 plants each as well as…

Executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, Rob Kampia, discusses what’s next for the push to make marijuana legal in the United States: The state that will most likely be next to legalize is Rhode Island, which would be the first to do so via state legislature. Also this spring, the District of Columbia is expected to enact a similar law through its city council. There's also a real opportunity to legalize marijuana through five more state legislatures between now and 2017 – Delaware, Hawaii,…

Marijuana advocates made history with three huge Election Day victories in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C. and are optimistic for what the future holds. “The stage is now set for 2016, when measures to regulate marijuana like alcohol are expected to appear on ballots in at least five states,” said Mason Tvert, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project, which was instrumental in passing legalization in Colorado and bankrolled the successful campaign in Alaska. The five states where…

The Marijuana Policy Project filed a committee with the California Secretary of State’s Office today to support a 2016 statewide ballot initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult use. The new committee, the Marijuana Policy Project of California, will start raising funds immediately to help place a measure on the ballot. According to a statement from MPP Executive Director Rob Kampia: [caption id="attachment_8113" align="alignright" width="150"] Rob Kampia[/caption] “A diverse coalition…

On Thursday, February 13, the Senate Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, and Commerce and Consumer Protection will meet to hear three marijuana-related bills. Two of these bills will bring needed sensibility to Hawaii’s marijuana laws, while the third would erode patient protections and needs to be pushed back against. The two good bills are SB 2358 and SB 2733. SB 2358 will make possession of a small amount of marijuana a civil infraction, as opposed to a criminal…

The Marijuana Policy Project announced Monday it will support efforts to end marijuana prohibition in 10 more states by 2017. The announcement comes one day before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing at which it will address the U.S. Justice Department’s recent decision to allow states to regulate the cultivation and sale of marijuana. MPP will work with local and national allies to pass voter initiatives in at least five states and bills in five state legislatures…

Two pieces of legislation that will make changes to the state’s medical marijuana program have passed the Hawaii Legislature. Both of these bills found their way out of their respective conference committees and were approved of with bipartisan support.  H.B. 668, C.D. 1 transfers jurisdiction of the medical marijuana program from the Department of Public Safety to the Department of Public Health and creates a “Medical Marijuana Registry Fund” to administer the program. This noncontroversial measure…

The Hawaii House of Representatives will soon vote on legislation that downgrades the penalty for possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana to a civil violation punishable by a $100 fine. The Senate has already passed its own version of this bill. Should the House approve S.B. 472, HD 1, a conference committee will be appointed to work out differences in the legislation before passing a final version on to Gov. Neil Abercrombie. If you are a Hawaii resident, let your representative know that possessing…

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240"] "DON'T book 'em, Danno."[/caption] Tuesday, the Hawaii Senate unanimously voted to approve a decriminalization bill, sending it to the House of Representatives. S.B. 472, SD 1, would replace Hawaii’s current criminal penalties — including possible jail time — for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana with a civil fine of $1,000. The bill originally called for a fine of $100, but it was amended up in committee. If you live in Hawaii, please email…

In addition to two medical marijuana regulation bills being considered in Hawaii, a separate bill that would remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana is moving through the state Senate. Last week, it passed through two Senate committees and is now headed to the full Senate for a vote before advancing further. Considering that 20 of 25 members of the Senate are co-sponsors, it should be a breeze. The bill would make possession of an ounce or less of marijuana a civil…