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51 US HI: State Opens Bids For Pot Dispensary LicensesTue, 12 Jan 2016
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Consillio, Kristen Area:Hawaii Lines:83 Added:01/12/2016

The state Department of Health opened an 18-day bidding window today for companies interested in competing for medical marijuana dispensary licenses.

This year Hawaii is joining at least 18 other states in legalizing the commercial production and distribution of medical marijuana. Under Act 241, 16 medical marijuana dispensaries will be licensed to open starting July 15.

Several experienced Hawaii businessmen have said they plan to apply for licenses.

Companies will need to dish out $5,000 just to apply and pay a $75,000 license fee if their application is selected. To make a bid, a company must show that it has at least $1 million worth of financial resources for each license, as well as $100,000 for each retail outlet. There is a $50,000 annual license renewal fee and an estimated $2 million to $5 million a year in overhead costs.

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52 US HI: Column: Like It or Not, Legalizing Pot Could Be BoonSun, 10 Jan 2016
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Shapiro, David Area:Hawaii Lines:77 Added:01/10/2016

It's been a sad week for agriculture in Hawaii - and not only because Alexander & Baldwin Inc. announced that it's closing Hawaii's last sugar plantation, the company's 36,000acre farm on Maui.

The same day, longtime Hawaii island farmer Richard Ha told employees he's shutting down his Hamakua Springs Country Farms, at least for the growing of crops that people eat.

Ha stopped growing his tomatoes last year and now will no longer produce his mainstay bananas after the current crop goes to market.

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53 US HI: Cocaine Use By Isle Workers DoublesWed, 06 Jan 2016
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Segal, Dave Area:Hawaii Lines:41 Added:01/06/2016

Cocaine use in the workplace doubled in the fourth quarter from the year-earlier period while marijuana still remained the drug of choice.

Among employees and job applicants tested for drugs, 0.4 percent tested positive for cocaine during the final three months of the year, according to a report Tuesday by Honolulu-based Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc. That's up from 0.3 percent in the third quarter and double the 0.2 percent who tested positive for the drug in the fourth quarter of 2014.

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54 US HI: Editorial: Do It Right With Medical Pot RulesMon, 04 Jan 2016
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:92 Added:01/04/2016

In the "hurry up and wait" mode that defines Hawaii's lawmaking process, new rules launching the state's medical marijuana industry have been rushed, less than a year after a law finally sanctioned dispensaries, and 15 years after Hawaii approved medical marijuana use but without legal means of buying the drug.

The harried nature of the rulemaking, coupled with lawmakers' criticisms of the crucial ground rules, are unsettling - so much so that it behooves officials to pause the timetable to do this properly.

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55 US HI: PUB LTE: Best Option For Pot Is To Just Legalize ItSun, 03 Jan 2016
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Donovan, James Area:Hawaii Lines:37 Added:01/04/2016

Regarding medical marijuana distribution, I think all parties have it wrong.

Hawaii County Councilwoman Margaret Wille is opposed to Oahu-based rules, rightly so, calling for county control and addressing certain areas where a "drug problem exists."

She's right. A drug problem exists, due to the illegality of marijuana itself, creating black markets and so-called "crimes."

My solution is simple: no regulation at all. Legalization of medical marijuana was enacted to help the needy, not to line the pockets of the greedy.

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56 US HI: Legislators Tell Officials to Kill Rules on PakaloloTue, 29 Dec 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Cocke, Sophie Area:Hawaii Lines:137 Added:12/29/2015

The State Department of Health Is Criticized for Its New Regulations on Medical Marijuana

Hawaii lawmakers criticized top Department of Health officials on Monday over new rules governing the growth and sale of medical marijuana, saying that health officials may have overstepped their statutory authority by prohibiting the use of greenhouses and excluding official retail outlets from selling rolled marijuana cigarettes and certain smoking paraphernalia.

"I get very frustrated when executive departments establish rules that go beyond what the Legislature opined," Sen. Roz Baker (D, West Maui-South Maui) told health officials who testified in front of a joint hearing of the House Health Committee and Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health Committee. "The Legislature makes policy and the executive branch implements that policy. So I would like you ... to look at those rules and in areas where they go beyond what the statute says specifically, take them down. They don't belong there."

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57 US HI: PUB LTE: Please Take Cannabis Off Schedule I ListSun, 27 Dec 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Tischler, Andrea Area:Hawaii Lines:38 Added:12/27/2015

Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia have legalized medical cannabis, and more are coming on board each year.

The belief that cannabis has no medicinal efficacy has been disproven in privately funded studies.

More clinical trials are critically needed. Yet, those studies cannot be performed as long as the Drug Enforcement Administration classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug, which places it as having no medical use. This needs to change, and soon.

Congress is not moving fast enough, but there is another route: rescheduling cannabis as a Schedule II drug by executive order.

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58 US HI: State Urged to Convince Feds Status of Pot Needs aFri, 25 Dec 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Mykleseth, Kathryn Area:Hawaii Lines:88 Added:12/26/2015

Four Hawaii doctors earlier this month filed a petition with the state to put pressure on the federal government to change the classification of medical marijuana.

Marijuana is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a "Schedule I controlled substance," the most dangerous category of controlled substances, which includes heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and Ecstasy.

Dr. Clifton Otto of Honolulu and three other Hawaii doctors asked state Attorney General Douglas Chin to push for removing marijuana from the Schedule I list.

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59 US HI: Medical Marijuana Price May GrowWed, 23 Dec 2015
Source:Garden Island (Lihue, HI) Author:Alayvilla, Alden Area:Hawaii Lines:115 Added:12/25/2015

Enclosed-Growing Rule Could Cost Kauai Dispensary Investors Millions

A definition in the interim administrative rules for medical marijuana dispensaries posted this month could cost Kauai dispensary investors millions of dollars in utility and construction costs.

According to the interim rules, medically-grown marijuana shall be grown "in an enclosed indoor facility," as required by HB 321, the state law creating the dispensary program. An enclosed indoor facility rules out greenhouses, which proponents say could cut utility costs by half.

The structure would need a concrete floor and rigid steel sides that encloses the facility with all entry points secured, according the Department of Health. Additionally, the interior of the structure may not be visible from the outside.

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60 US HI: Overdose Deaths Low In IslesMon, 21 Dec 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Essoyan, Susan Area:Hawaii Lines:115 Added:12/22/2015

A Nonprofit Group Has Ranked Hawaii No. 6 for the State's Rate of Fatal Substance Use

We don't have nearly the extreme kind of heroin epidemic that you see on the mainland. ... What we most commonly see kids overdose with in Hawaii is still alcohol poisoning." Colleen Fox Director of adolescent programs, Hina Mauka

Hawaii has the sixth-lowest rate among the states of youth dying from drug overdoses, but the figure is trending upward across the country, according to a new report from the Trust for America's Health.

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61 US HI: Rules For Medical Pakalolo Program Are AiredWed, 16 Dec 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Consillio, Kristen Area:Hawaii Lines:69 Added:12/16/2015

Medical marijuana patients will not be allowed to sample their medicines before they buy when dispensaries open next year.

The state Health Department issued interim administrative rules Tuesday for the medical marijuana dispensary licensing program that require cannabis operators to grow their plants indoors and at least 750 feet away from schools and playgrounds. It also doesn't allow retail operators to hand out free samples or sell paraphernalia. The dispensaries will be highly regulated with unlimited unannounced inspections, the department said.

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62 US HI: Hawaii Hui To Apply For Pot DispensaryWed, 09 Dec 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:43 Added:12/09/2015

A group composed of Hawaii farmers, a naturopath and a University of Hawaii bioengineering researcher is preparing to apply for a medical marijuana dispensary license in January.

The group, led by Dr. Ryan Ferchoff, founder of Medical Medicinals LLC, and Maui business consultant Steven Bronstein, issued a news release Tuesday announcing its intentions to vie for one of eight dispensary licenses next year.

Bronstein has represented some of Hawaii's largest medical groups, educators and local businesses for more than 15 years, and was the founder of Cushman & Wakefield's retail division, previously owned by the Rockefellers.

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63 US HI: Column: Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws Desperately NeedSat, 21 Nov 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Sullum, Jacob Area:Hawaii Lines:100 Added:11/22/2015

During a talk radio debate last week, Tulsa's district attorney, Steve Kunzweiler, warned that civil forfeiture reform would invite "some of the most violent people in the history of this planet" to set up shop in Oklahoma, making decapitated bodies "hung from bridges" a familiar sight in the Sooner State.

Last month, Steve Jones, an assistant district attorney, told Tennessee legislators "criminals will thank you" for making it harder to confiscate people's property.

These are the noises that cops and prosecutors make when people talk about restricting their license to steal. A new report from the Institute for Justice, which gives the forfeiture laws of both Oklahoma and Tennessee a "D-", explains why legislators should ignore such self-interested fear mongering.

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64 US HI: Plans Sought For System Of Seed-to-Sale TrackingSat, 21 Nov 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Consillio, Kristen Area:Hawaii Lines:72 Added:11/22/2015

Hawaii's Health Department is looking for a company to build an online system to track medical marijuana inventory and sales at dispensaries statewide in 2016.

The department's Office of Health Care Assurance, which regulates and licenses health care facilities, has issued a request for proposals for a computer software tracking system that will run 24 hours a day, according to Keith Ridley, who heads the office.

"This is another major step forward to implement the medical marijuana program to ensure access for Hawaii patients and caregivers," Ridley said in a news release.

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65 US HI: Column: Cops Rarely Pay Price for Behavior Caught onSat, 07 Nov 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Sullum, Jacob Area:Hawaii Lines:85 Added:11/07/2015

FBI Director James Comey says cops are reluctant to do their jobs because they worry that their actions will be captured on camera. Judging from the official response to the shooting of Zachary Hammond, they have little to fear.

Speaking at the University of Chicago Law School last month, Comey said police officers "in today's YouTube world" are afraid to get out of their cars, lest they face camera-wielding bystanders intent on recording them. He warned that good policing could "drift away from us in the age of viral videos" as cops refrain from confronting suspicious characters.

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66 US HI: Editorial: Beware Pot-laden Halloween CandyTue, 03 Nov 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:26 Added:11/03/2015

Parents, if you haven't already done so, be sure to cull through the kids' Halloween bounty to check that all goodies are safe to eat.

That should be a routine every year - but this September, there have been reports here of high school students being sickened by candy containing THC, the active ingredient and toxicant in marijuana. The packaging was innocent-looking enough, with one "100% vegan and organic" fruit roll-up product bearing the label Shaka Organics Hawaii. Be warned that cannabis candies are being sold in the several states that have legalized recreational pot, and, of course, all over the Internet.

[end]

67 US HI: Cannabis In Candies Has Officials On High AlertSat, 31 Oct 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Fujimori, Leila Area:Hawaii Lines:102 Added:10/31/2015

Tainted Treats Send Several High-Schoolers to the Emergency Room

Manufactured cannabis-laced fruit candy that has sickened Oahu teens in recent weeks may be touching off anxiety among parents of trick-or-treaters this Halloween.

Several high school students wound up in Oahu hospital emergency rooms after ingesting candy with THC, the active ingredient and chief intoxicant in marijuana. The source was traced to packaged rolled-fruit candy, said Keith Kamita, state Narcotics Enforcement Division chief.

As part of Halloween-safety awareness, "we are educating the public there are candies and fruit roll-ups that they should be aware of," Kamita said. Candies containing THC - whether in chocolates and brownies or fruit roll-ups and hard candies - are illegal to distribute in Hawaii, he said.

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68US HI: 6,700 Pot Plants Uprooted In SweepsSun, 25 Oct 2015
Source:Hawaii Tribune Herald (Hilo, HI) Author:Milldrum, Graham Area:Hawaii Lines:Excerpt Added:10/29/2015

State police confiscated more than 6,700 marijuana plants on the Big Island during two recent eradication missions.

The Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division had a mission Sept. 18-19 in East Hawaii, said Toni Schwartz, public information officer for the department. They found 6,000 plants, 90 percent of which were in one open-forest grow situation.

On Monday and Tuesday, the officers performed a similar mission on the west side of the Big Island. There, NED officers confiscated more than 700 plants, she said. Most were growing in residential areas.

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69 US HI: Bank Accounts for Medical Pot Businesses OK, State SaysTue, 27 Oct 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Consillio, Kristen Area:Hawaii Lines:97 Added:10/27/2015

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is reassuring banks and other financial institutions that they may open accounts for medical marijuana businesses in Hawaii when dispensaries start operations next year.

Iris Ikeda, DCCA's commissioner of financial institutions, issued a news release Monday after conducting a series of presentations for the heads of local banks, compliance officers and their attorneys to "address some of their concerns" if they are considering opening these high-risk accounts.

"The question has always been around whether or not banks can open marijuana-related accounts," she said. "(Federal regulators) want to make it clear that even though marijuana is still a Schedule 1 drug, if they take a risk-based approach, they can open an account. Currently banks are not willing to open the accounts."

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70 US HI: Editorial: Taking Due Care With Medical Marijuana CardsMon, 26 Oct 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:27 Added:10/26/2015

The state Department of Health is under heavy pressure to speed up the process that would allow medical marijuana patients to receive cannabis. The department has been criticized for its reluctance to issue temporary cards; DOH expressed worry that temporary cards could easily be forged.

The worry is understandable, given that marijuana is a hugely popular recreational drug, and is expected to become widely available through dispensaries beginning July 15. And DOH must fulfill its duty to ensure, as best it can, that the drug is dispensed properly.

Meanwhile, under revised rules of professional conduct, Hawaii lawyers will be permitted to counsel applicants seeking to open dispensaries, which is a welcome switch from the previous situation.

[end]

71 US HI: Isles' Top Court Reverses Marijuana RulingWed, 21 Oct 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:31 Added:10/21/2015

The Hawaii Supreme Court reversed Tuesday a ruling that barred lawyers from helping to establish medical marijuana dispensaries.

A formal opinion issued last month by the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court concluded that Hawaii lawyers could not "provide legal services to facilitate the establishment and operation of a medical marijuana business," because selling pot is still considered a federal crime.

After an expedited public comment period to amend the rules following outcry from about two dozen local attorneys, including former Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle and former state Attorney General David Louie, the court changed the rules to say lawyers "may counsel or assist a client regarding conduct expressly permitted by Hawaii law, provided that the lawyer counsels the client about the legal consequences."

The Legislature passed a bill this year that allows for 16 medical marijuana dispensaries to open in Hawaii on July 15.

[end]

72 US HI: Tag The Plants, Pot Rules WarnThu, 15 Oct 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Hurley, Timothy Area:Hawaii Lines:104 Added:10/15/2015

Medical Marijuana Patients Need State Cards to Possess Pakalolo, the Health Department Says

State officials are warning Hawaii's medical marijuana patients and caregivers to tag their plants and carry their registration cards to avoid getting in trouble with the law.

The requirements are part of an amended set of rules proposed by the state Department of Health and approved by Gov. David Ige in July.

According to the updated rules, anyone registered to grow marijuana plants must have a legible identification tag on each marijuana plant, up to the allowable limit of seven plants. The tags must show the patient's registration number and expiration date of the card.

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73 US HI: Drug Testing Snags Fewer Employees In Third QuarterWed, 07 Oct 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Consillio, Kristen Area:Hawaii Lines:40 Added:10/07/2015

Hawaii workers testing positive for crystal meth and marijuana decreased in the third quarter, though more people tried to use synthetic urine to mask drug use in the workplace.

Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc., which conducts drug tests for between 7,000 and 10,000 workers, said meth, or "ice," use was down to 0.7 percent in the quarter from 0.9 percent in year-earlier period, according to a quarterly report released Tuesday. Marijuana use also dropped to 2.2 percent from 2.8 percent. Cocaine use remained flat at 0.3 percent, while positive opiate results fell slightly to 0.2 percent from 0.3 percent.

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74 US HI: Some Well-Known Names Look To Score Pot LicensesMon, 05 Oct 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Consillio, Kristen Area:Hawaii Lines:195 Added:10/05/2015

Big-name entrepreneurs, high-profile attorneys and former politicians are positioning themselves to compete for one of the eight licenses the state will issue next year to begin selling medical marijuana legally in Hawaii for the first time.

Nearly 30 new business registrations include "marijuana," "cannabis," "pakalolo" and "weed" in their names, many of them filed with the state since the enactment of the law authorizing the establishment of pot dispensaries. Many are associated with well known business personalities.

The daughter of Henk Rogers, owner of the Tetris video game brand, is among those planning to apply, as is Bill Jarvis, CEO of Mobi PCS, and Michael Irish, CEO of kimchee manufacturer Halm's Enterprises Inc. and Keoki's Lau Lau. Anthony Takitani, a Maui attorney and former state legislator, registered Maui Medical Marijuana Dispensary LLC with Hollywood film agent and producer Shep Gordon. Former Honolulu Mayor and longtime city Prosecutor Peter Carlisle is representing a group of critical-care doctors vying for a license, and David Louie, previously state attorney general, is also representing a potential licensee.

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75 US HI: Column: Medical Marijuana Meets Another Hurdle in HawaiiFri, 25 Sep 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Borreca, Richard Area:Hawaii Lines:86 Added:09/25/2015

Small amounts of marijuana are not a big deal to the federal government.

FBI teams will not be rappelling onto your roof because you are holding a joint.

But holding that joint is still against federal law and that is creating new problems for Hawaii's embryonic medical marijuana business.

Lawyers' rules of ethics and professional conduct don't allow lawyers to advise clients to engage in conduct that is illegal.

A month ago the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court came out with Formal Opinion 49, saying Hawaii attorneys "may not provide legal services to facilitate the establishment and operation of a medical marijuana business."

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76 US HI: Column: Halting The Heroin ScourgeThu, 27 Aug 2015
Source:Garden Island (Lihue, HI) Author:Roberts, Cokie Area:Hawaii Lines:108 Added:08/28/2015

Steve was guest-hosting "The Diane Rehm Show" on NPR recently, and the topic was the nationwide upsurge in heroin addiction. The first caller was Stacy from New Albany, Indiana.

"It's funny," she said. "I'm listening to this show and I have a syringe of heroin in my hand."

She had gotten hurt in the military, explained Stacy, and the painkillers prescribed by her doctors led to her addiction. She uses heroin now because it is far cheaper than the legal drugs that caused her dependency.

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77 US HI: Kauai Group Has Plans For Pot DispensaryWed, 05 Aug 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:26 Added:08/05/2015

A group on Kauai plans to apply for a permit for a medical marijuana dispensary, which they hope will be entirely locally funded and operated.

The Garden Island reported Monday that since Gov. David Ige approved House Bill 321, which sets up a system of medical marijuana dispensaries, the Kauai Dispensary Project has been approached by three investors and has an advisory board of five members.

Dispensary Project lead director Judiah McRoberts says a dispensary on the island would create easier access for more than 1,800 medical marijuana patients on the island.

Star-Advertiser staff and Associated Press

[end]

78 US HI: PUB LTE: Thank You, TGITue, 04 Aug 2015
Source:Garden Island (Lihue, HI) Author:McRoberts, Judiah Area:Hawaii Lines:39 Added:08/05/2015

To the editor:

Thank you, TGI, for bringing the discussion about the new dispensary law front and forward.

I truly believe that opening up dialogue between all stakeholders and the Kauai community will be a key aspect to make sure the new program is safe and successful. As a registered nurse I have seen the medical benefits of cannabis and I realize the new law will help a large portion of individuals who have little to no reliable access to medicine. I grew up on Kauai. I have a 7-year-old daughter and another child on the way. The last thing I want to see is cannabis ending up in the wrong hands.

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79 US HI: HomegrownMon, 03 Aug 2015
Source:Garden Island (Lihue, HI) Author:Alayvilla, Alden Area:Hawaii Lines:151 Added:08/03/2015

Kauai Stakeholders Want Locally Owned, Operated Medical Marijuana Dispensary

LIHUE - A group of Kauai stakeholders plans to apply for a medical marijuana dispensary on the island, and hopes to make it 100 percent locally funded and operated.

Judiah McRoberts, Kauai Dispensary Project lead director, said Gov. David Ige's approval of House Bill 321 - which establishes a licensing system for medical marijuana dispensaries in the state - will create easier access for more than 1,800 registered medical marijuana patients on Kauai.

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80 US HI: LTE: Ship Has Sailed For Hemp CropsWed, 29 Jul 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:DeFrank, Joe Area:Hawaii Lines:36 Added:07/29/2015

The promotion of industrial hemp as a silver bullet to protect agricultural lands from development is a case of misplaced enthusiasm.

Sugar and pineapple have experienced greatly reduced plantings due to cheaper production elsewhere. The 10-year legislative promotion of ethanol in fuel could not induce a single investor to build a plant to produce it. The ship has sailed on industrial crop production in Hawaii due to high costs of land, water and labor.

Legislative enthusiasm to support Hawaiian agriculture would be better focused on improving the water supply to agriculturally important lands, enhanced grower access to local markets via an open statewide auction house and enhanced interisland transportation, such as the Superferry.

Let's not waste valuable tax dollars on developing a crop like industrial hemp that can and will be more cost effectively produced in other mainland states, if and when it becomes legal to do so.

Joe DeFrank

Mililani

[end]

81 US HI: Editorial: Hemp Might Have Bright Future HereFri, 24 Jul 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:28 Added:07/24/2015

The best way to protect agricultural land from future development is to cultivate needed crops on the acreage.

So we sure hope that state Rep. Cynthia Thielen is right about hemp.

The Windward Oahu Republican has been promoting industrial hemp for years, helping overcome numerous hurdles to farming it, hurdles related to its controversial cousin, marijuana.

Now that University of Hawaii researchers are harvesting their first industrial hemp crop in Waimanalo, the potential of the versatile, fast-growing plant as an agricultural mainstay seems wide open.

The plant has thousands of uses, including in health products, as a fuel source and in the building material "hempcrete."

[end]

82 US HI: UH's Hemp Ready For HarvestThu, 23 Jul 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Kubota, Gary T. Area:Hawaii Lines:82 Added:07/23/2015

Advocates See the Plant As a Potential Commodity for the State

University of Hawaii researchers are poised to start their first harvest of industrial hemp in Waimanalo, while crop advocates explore opportunities to tap into the multimillion-dollar demand for the plant's products in the United States.

Advocates estimate some $600 million in hemp is imported into the U.S. annually.

"Our small little plot is the beginning of what I believe will be a major agricultural crop for Hawaii," said state Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua-Kaneohe). "These plants are amazing."

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83 US HI: State Looking to Fix Process to Get Medical MarijuanaTue, 21 Jul 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Honore, Marcel Area:Hawaii Lines:81 Added:07/21/2015

About 1,100 Applications Are Handled a Month, and It Is Expected to Double in 2016

State health officials say they're looking to streamline the application process for medical marijuana patient cards - which some local physicians say is unduly burdensome - ahead of the first pot dispensaries to open in Hawaii next year.

The fixes could be critical for the state Department of Health if it is to keep up with the demand once dispensaries open in the state. The department, which processes about 1,100 applications a month for new cards and annual renewals, expects that number could double in 2016.

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84 US HI: PUB LTE: Legal Pot Lacks Lure Of ForbiddenSat, 04 Jul 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Muse, Kirk Area:Hawaii Lines:27 Added:07/04/2015

Marijuana has been quasilegal in the Netherlands for about 40 years, yet the Dutch use cannabis at less than half the rate Americans do ("Legal pot will lead to more addiction," Star-Advertiser, Letters, June 25).

And they use cocaine and heroin at about a third the rate Americans do.

Why? Because in the Netherlands, there is no "lure of the forbidden fruit" like there is in America.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.

[end]

85 US HI: PUB LTE: Colorado Better Off Since Legalizing PotMon, 29 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Golojuch, Michael J. Jr. Area:Hawaii Lines:40 Added:06/29/2015

Bill Funk and Rep. Marcus Oshiro have not been paying attention to actual data coming out of Colorado ("More pot means more problems," Star-Advertiser, Letters, June 17; "For-profit marijuana will be dangerous," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, June 14).

Since legalizing marijuana, Colorado has seen an 8.9 percent drop in property crime and an increase of $40.9 million into the state's coffers. It also is not wasting taxpayer dollars on adjudicating marijuana offenses, at a cost of $300 per case, so that is saving the state money.

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86 US HI: PUB LTE: Dispensary Critics Sorely MisinformedMon, 29 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Lichty, Pamela Area:Hawaii Lines:41 Added:06/29/2015

Joann Breeden's letter is both misinformed and misleading ("Legal pot will lead to more addiction," Star-Advertiser, June 25).

The pending legislation does not legalize marijuana. It sets up a tightly regulated dispensary system designed to undercut the black market while providing registered patients with medicine their doctors recommend.

Marijuana doesn't "stop working"; unlike hard drugs, it doesn't create a tolerance in users.

Of course drug users start with marijuana; it's the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world after alcohol.

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87 US HI: LTE: Legal Pot Will Lead To More AddictionThu, 25 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Breeden, Joann Area:Hawaii Lines:35 Added:06/25/2015

People of Hawaii need education regarding the perils of legal marijuana.

I'm an addiction counselor and worked in alcohol and drug treatment centers for 25 years. About 94 percent of patients I worked with started their chemical use with marijuana. When the drug stopped working, patients used other drugs to get high.

Along with increased chemical abuse, other crimes committed included physical violence, murder and robbery.

Do the people of Hawaii want crime and alcohol and drug addiction to increase? If people don't want this inevitable outcome of legalizing marijuana, learn the truth about addiction.

Legislators are supposed to be looking out for us. Remember, politicians only do what is good for themselves, not the right thing. People need to get involved to help save Hawaii families from addiction.

Joann Breeden

Kahuku

[end]

88 US HI: LTE: Powerful Pot Lobby Seeks LegalizationTue, 23 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Moody, Ross Area:Hawaii Lines:35 Added:06/23/2015

As suggested by state Rep. Marcus Oshiro, let us hope Gov. David Ige vetoes the medical marijuana bill and allows Hawaii to benefit from the mistakes of others before we plunge into the unknown.

In California, anyone who claims a headache, finds the right doctor and has $100 gets a license to buy at the pot shops. We can expect the same pattern here. The intent to give compassionate relief to those who really need marijuana has turned into a sophisticated mechanism that could easily be transformed into a legalized for-profit recreational pot industry. The powerful marijuana lobby is preparing the way for this to happen.

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89 US HI: LTE: Pot Bill Will Lead To Legacy Of ShameMon, 22 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Yamashita, Jeff Area:Hawaii Lines:31 Added:06/22/2015

I hope Gov. David Ige will not sign into law House Bill 321, the medical marijuana dispensary bill. It will be a disaster for Hawaii.

This bill isn't simply about providing medical marijuana safely to those needing the drug. It lays a foundation for establishing multimillion-dollar marijuana businesses. I believe there is a movement by proponents of this bill to legalize marijuana usage, which federal law prohibits.

As a retired police officer, I know the laws would be unenforceable. If signed into law, it will be devastating to our Hawaiian culture, our children and grandchildren. Let's protect Hawaii's future generations, not leave a legacy of shame.

Jeff Yamashita

Waipahu

[end]

90 US HI: PUB LTE: Nothing New About Legal MarijuanaTue, 16 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Sharpe, Robert Area:Hawaii Lines:41 Added:06/16/2015

Rep. Marcus Oshiro is apparently content to recycle prohibitionist talking points without doing any background research ("For-profit marijuana will be dangerous," Star-Advertiser, Insight, June 14).

Legal marijuana is not a "new idea in the world." Marijuana has been safely used by humans for millennia. Marijuana prohibition is the new idea.

The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Prior to the federal Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 (sic), marijuana use was limited to border migrant communities and black jazz musicians in New Orleans. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages in dark-skinned minorities have been counterproductive at best.

[continues 53 words]

91 US HI: OPED: DOH Makes Safety A Top Program GoalSun, 14 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Pressler, Virginia Area:Hawaii Lines:86 Added:06/14/2015

In 2000, Act 28 made Hawaii one of the first states to authorize the use of marijuana to treat certain debilitating medical conditions. Act 28, however, was silent on how to legally obtain a patient or caregiver's first seed to cultivate their crop or otherwise legally acquire medical marijuana, leaving patients and even law enforcement in a conundrum.

Fast forward 15 years and Hawaii may soon join a growing number of states that have authorized dispensaries to distribute marijuana for medical use if House Bill 321, Relating to Medical Marijuana, is enacted. The 2015 state Legislature, based on remarks from opening day ceremonies, set as a goal to close the gap between the authorized use of medical marijuana and the legal means of acquiring it. A well-regulated dispensaries system may address both patient and law enforcement needs.

[continues 470 words]

92 US HI: OPED: For-Profit Marijuana Will Be DangerousSun, 14 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Oshiro, Marcus R. Area:Hawaii Lines:83 Added:06/14/2015

I believe marijuana has a place in the treatment of disease. However, forprofit growing and selling marijuana, even for medical use, is a dangerous and untested social experiment on Hawaii's people and is not consistent with local values and culture. Not-for-profit or co-ops or limited imports are viable alternatives.

First, legalization of for-profit growing and selling of marijuana is a new idea in the world. Further, only 11 of 23 medical marijuana U.S. states have actual operating experience, and the average retail store experience in those states is only about two years.

[continues 515 words]

93 US HI: Advocates See Huge Benefits Down The RoadSun, 14 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Consillio, Kristen Area:Hawaii Lines:206 Added:06/14/2015

HB 321 Could Lead to a $65 Million a Year Industry and Hundreds of New Jobs, They Say

Medical marijuana promoters say dispensaries in Hawaii could create a lucrative new market with up to 800 jobs and $65 million a year in sales.

House Bill 321 - which allows for 16 dispensaries to open in Hawaii on July 15, 2016, and potentially many more the following year - is now in Gov. David Ige's hands.

If he signs it into law, the race will be on to see who can get the eight licenses allowed, build their greenhouses and open retail spaces to begin selling marijuana legally in Hawaii for the first time.

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94 US HI: OPED: Careful Criteria Will Ensure Safe AccessSun, 14 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Bergquist, Carl Area:Hawaii Lines:114 Added:06/14/2015

With the passage of the medical marijuana dispensary bill House Bill 321, Hawaii is returning to the compassionate spirit that prevailed when our Legislature was first in the country to legalize medical cannabis in 2000. Strong majorities in both chambers sent a carefully crafted piece of legislation to the desk of Gov. David Ige, where it awaits his signature.

If, as we hope and expect, he signs it into law, the long-suffering, seriously ill patients of Hawaii will soon be able to procure their essential medicine at a safe and legal retail location. KAT WADE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISE R This legal cannabis plant in Mililani was used to make a tincture to treat a girl for seizures. With the passage of legislation establishing marijuana dispensaries in Hawaii, the debate continues over how the facilities and their products should be regulated.

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95 US HI: OPED: For-Profit Marijuana Dispensaries Are Bad forSat, 13 Jun 2015
Source:Garden Island (Lihue, HI) Author:Oshiro, Marcus R. Area:Hawaii Lines:85 Added:06/14/2015

At the onset, I believe marijuana has a place in the treatment of disease. However, for-profit growing and selling of marijuana, even for medical use, would be a bad untested social experiment on Hawaii's people. Hawaii's citizens are not laboratory rats. Not-for-profit or co-operatives or limited imports are better aligned with Hawaii's values.

First, legalizing for-profit selling of marijuana is a new idea in the world. The USA and Uruguay and not the Netherlands or Jamaica, are the only places that allow for legal production and sales. Interestingly, in the US only 11 of 23 medical marijuana states or less than half have any actual operating experience. Furthermore, the average retail store experience is about two years. Consequently, 24 months of social-science evidence at best may justify a pilot project but not a permanent laissez-faire policy built on such skimpy evidence.

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96 US HI: PUB LTE: 'Hempcrete' Home Prompts SarcasmMon, 08 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:White, John Wythe Area:Hawaii Lines:25 Added:06/08/2015

I read with shock and dismay your front-page story about building hemp homes ("The house that hemp built," Star-Advertiser, June 4).

Don't people realize that hemp is a dangerous "gateway plant" that invariably leads users down a slippery slope of botanical addiction?

It's high time we nipped this nefarious practice in the bud - before people begin making bricks from peyote cacti and poppy plant stems.

John Wythe White Haleiwa

[end]

97 US HI: The House That Hemp BuiltThu, 04 Jun 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Mykleseth, Kathryn Area:Hawaii Lines:119 Added:06/04/2015

Former NBA Coach Don Nelson Touts the Benefits of Building With the Plant

KIHEI, MAUI - Building one of the first homes in Hawaii made of hemp has left Hall of Fame NBA coach Don Nelson open to some friendly ribbing from his Maui neighbors. "Most of them think they can smoke it," Nelson said. While industrial hemp used in the construction of homes comes from the same cannabis sativa plant species as marijuana, it contains only a small amount of tetrahydrocannabinol - the psychoactive chemical that creates the marijuana high.

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98 US HI: Seminar to Focus on Marijuana Dispensaries in HawaiiThu, 28 May 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:47 Added:05/28/2015

A Florida-based consulting company will host a medical marijuana seminar at a Waikiki hotel next month to explain the business opportunities linked to the potential legalization of pot dispensaries in Hawaii.

Fifteen years after medical marijuana was legalized in Hawaii, the Legislature passed a bill this month approving a system of medical marijuana dispensaries statewide by next summer. Gov. David Ige is expected to sign House Bill 321 into law, and dispensaries are projected to open as early as July 2016.

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99 US HI: Editorial: Future of Pot in Hawaii Deserves FullSun, 10 May 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI)          Area:Hawaii Lines:110 Added:05/10/2015

Very little about public policy happens in a vacuum, least of all Hawaii's belated move to fully implement its 15-year-old medical marijuana law, after letting things languish for so long.

When medical marijuana became legal, Hawaii was at the front of the pack among states liberalizing controls of the drug, moving first to allow its use for relief of pain and other physical symptoms. Now the long-awaited authorization of dispensaries for the delivery of marijuana to those holding a medical prescription has been overtaken by decisions in other states to legalize it entirely.

[continues 691 words]

100 US HI: Column: 'States' Rights' Is Best Way to End RuinousSat, 09 May 2015
Source:Honolulu Star-Advertiser (HI) Author:Harrop, Froma Area:Hawaii Lines:91 Added:05/09/2015

Howard Wooldridge, a Washington lobbyist, is a former detective and forever Texan on an important mission - trying to persuade the 535 members of Congress to end the federal war on marijuana.

Liberals tend to be an easier sell than conservatives. With liberals, Wooldridge dwells on the grossly racist way the war on drugs has been prosecuted.

"The war on drugs," he tells them, "has been the most immoral policy since slavery and Jim Crow."

Conservatives hear a different argument, but one that Wooldridge holds every bit as dear: "Give it back to the states."

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