Pubdate: Sun, 26 Jan 2014
Source: Garden Island (Lihue, HI)
Copyright: 2014 The Garden Island
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/Fyr3Cplk
Website: http://thegardenisland.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/964
Author: Audrey Mcavoy, Associated Press

LEGAL MAUI WOWIE? BILL CALLS FOR POT EXPORT STUDY

HONOLULU (AP) - A state lawmaker wants Hawaii to consider allowing
farmers to grow marijuana for export to other nations as a way to
raise tax revenue, but it's far from clear who would buy it and
whether the federal government would even allow it.

Democratic Rep. Rida Cabanilla suggests that Hawaii could ship
cannabis to countries like Uruguay, where it's legal, and the Czech
Republic, where it's legal to import the plant for medicinal use. But
Uruguay plans to grow its own marijuana, and the Czech Republic is
only allowing imports from the Netherlands. But Cabanilla said taxes
on cannabis farmers' profits could generate billions in revenue and
help the state pay for preschools, affordable housing, care for the
elderly and other initiatives.

The proposal is another push by a state to change marijuana laws.
Washington and Colorado have legalized recreational marijuana use, but
both states will only allow the drug to be grown by licensed producers
within their own borders.

Sales for adults over 21 began Jan. 1 in Colorado and Washington's
stores are expected to open later this year.

Cabanilla doesn't anticipate that Hawaii would legalize cannabis sales
in the islands because the state is "very conservative."

But she said she is confident Hawaii-grown marijuana would dominate
international markets because the state's warm weather and fertile
soil provide ideal growing conditions. She noted Hawaii is already
famous for pot grown.

"I'm not a marijuana connoisseur, so I really could not say on my
personal experience, but what people say is that the 'Maui Wowie' is
the best," she said of the pot strain.

Legislation Cabinilla introduced this week would create a working
group to study the idea.

Such marijuana shipments would be illegal under federal law, and it's
unclear whether the Justice Department would tolerate them.

The DOJ issued a memo last summer announcing that it would not
challenge efforts by states to regulate marijuana, as long as they
meet certain federal law enforcement priorities, such as keeping weed
from legal-pot states from being diverted to states where it's banned.

The memo made no mention of pot shipments among U.S. states or for
export.

Cabanilla says if Hawaii's marijuana exports were allowed, it would
help the state prepare for eventual sales to other U.S. states, given
what she called a "national wave" toward legalization after Colorado's
and Washington's moves.

The bill has been referred for hearings to the House committees on
agriculture, economic development, justice and finance. House Speaker
Joe Souki signed on as a co-sponsor along with about 10 other lawmakers.

The proposal faces obvious hurdles, however, as nations where
marijuana is either legal or tolerated strictly control its sale.

Uruguay, which adopted legalization last year, is drafting regulations
governing marijuana. Uruguay's drug czar has said the price of
marijuana would be set at $1 per gram - about one-tenth of what
marijuana costs at medical marijuana dispensaries in some U.S. states.
This would likely make it impractical for Hawaii farmers to export
marijuana there even if Uruguay allowed imports.

The Czech Republic, meanwhile, allows imports of just four types of
cannabis that can be obtained only from the Netherlands. It restricts
imports to these four types from the Dutch marijuana monopoly to
ensure quality.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D