Pubdate: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 Source: Garden Island (Lihue, HI) Page: Front Page Copyright: 2011 The Garden Island Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/Fyr3Cplk Website: http://thegardenisland.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/964 Author: Jessica Musicar, The Garden Island Photo: The newer, stronger strains of marijuana grow quickly on the island, according to a Kaua'i Police Department officer. http://www.mapinc.org/images/aDEAbud.jpg Cited: Kauai police http://www.kauai.gov/default.aspx?tabid=298 Bookmark: http://www.drugsense.org/cms/geoview/n-us-hi (Hawaii) Expert Calls County Press Release 'Fear-Mongering' KAUA'I OFFICIALS TO RALLY AGAINST POT LEGISLATION LIHU'E - Pending marijuana bills that could decriminalize possession and open the door for island dispensaries have spurred county officials to host an anti-drug rally Thursday. Intended to raise awareness about the legislation and possible associated dangers, the demonstration is being led by the Kaua'i Police Department, County of Kaua'i Anti-Drug Program, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, among others. It's set for 4 p.m. in front of the Historic County Building on Rice Street and will include speakers from local law enforcement, drug treatment providers and community leaders. "If passed, these measures will result in increased violent crime, economic crisis, and a rise in marijuana usage among our children," Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho said in a county press release. Assistant Chief Roy Asher of the Kaua'i Police Department also expressed concern over the House and Senate bills, including SB 1460, SB 175 and SB 1458. According to the press release, most of these would weaken Hawai'i's drug laws by decriminalizing possession and distribution, legalizing cultivation and commercial dispensaries, and eliminating the Board of Education's reporting requirements for students possessing marijuana. Many of the bills are likely to move on from committees to a vote before the full chambers. Police chiefs and prosecuting attorneys from Hawai'i's four counties oppose the legislation, the press release states. "We've already had a stabbing and home burglaries involving marijuana over the past few weeks," Asher said in the release. Francis Keany, the 69-year-old man suspected of stabbing another in front of the Kojima Store earlier this month, said the dispute that led to Justin Freemon's injury had nothing to do with marijuana, despite police statements. He said he did have marijuana in his backpack, but it also contained money from a recently cashed Social Security check. He contends that Freemon stole the pack and was injured while Keany attempted to take it back. "In my mind, I stopped an attempted robbery," Keany said. Asher also pointed to California as an example of why the group of county officials is opposing the pending legislation. "California is dealing with the sharp increase in murders, assaults, and robberies associated with its marijuana dispensaries and weakened drug laws," he said in the release. "We don't want to invite those kinds of problems into our community." On the other side of the argument, former community prosecutor for the city of Oakland James Anthony called the county press release "pure propaganda." Anthony, who grew up in Honolulu, sits on the board of directors for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. "That's just the worst kind of fear mongering," Anthony said after reading the county's press release. "California is experiencing a 30-year-low in violent crimes and where medical marijuana dispensaries are regulated, they are a positive benefit to the community and are problem-free. "I think that it's unfortunate that there is this type of misunderstanding and hysterical overreaction by people who are supposed to protect us." As long as dispensaries are controlled and regulated by the government, he went on to say, they are problem-free. While they can be the target of criminal activity, so can banks, Anthony said. "Maybe the police and the prosecutors are worried about public health being affected by getting real on marijuana - or maybe they are just worried about their loss of funding and having to go after real crime: violence and theft and robbery," he said.