Feb 12, 2014
Fresh Approach Hawaii, Hawaii, MCCHI, SB 2358, SB 2402, SB 2733
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 charge. Hawaii residents can submit testimony in support of this bill using talking points provided by Fresh Approach Hawaii. SB 2733 would go a step further by legalizing marijuana for adults and regulating it like alcohol. Supportive testimony for this legislation is needed as well; talking points can be found here.
Meanwhile, we need all those interested in protecting medical marijuana patients’ rights to submit testimony in opposition to SB 2402, a bill that would take away protections for patients who possess and use marijuana concentrates. This is unacceptable; many patients need concentrated marijuana in order to relieve their symptoms. If you are a Hawaii resident, please submit testimony in opposition to this plan using the talking points provided by MCCHI.