An open letter to Mayor Kenoi: The election of Nov. 4, 2008, which brought you to office, also recorded 35,000 votes in favor of a new county law, the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority of Cannabis Ordinance. As a result of this change in priorities, the Police Department has been directed to respect the sanctity and privacy of our homes and gardens and to cease accepting and spending funds that involve county personnel in marijuana eradication programs.

In spite of the ordinance, helicopters have continued flying most of this year. The Peaceful Sky Alliance, an organization advocating for residents under this law, have received numerous complaints from residents. Based on testimony and documents supplied by police, all of these missions were supported or coordinated by Hawaii County police personnel. One comment made by an Ocean View resident that reflects the feeling of most was, "This is like a war zone."

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Declare A Moritorium

The election of Nov. 4, 2008 which brought Mayor Kenoi to office also recorded 35,000 votes in favor of a new county law, the Lowest Law Enforcement Priority of Cannabis ordinance. As a result of this change in priorities the Police Department has been directed to respect the sanctity and privacy of our homes and gardens and to cease accepting and spending funds that involve county personnel in marijuana eradication programs.

In spite of the ordinance, helicopters have continued flying most of this year. The Peaceful Sky Alliance, an organization advocating for residents under this law, has received numerous complaints from residents and, based upon testimony and documents supplied by police, all of these missions were supported or coordinated by Hawaii County police personnel. One comment made by an Oceanview resident which reflects the feeling of most was, "this is like a war zone."

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I would like to address the front-page article of Nov. 7 regarding police Chief Mahuna's comments on the lowest law enforcement priority of marijuana ordinance, that the majority of the voters supported.

I still believe that we are living in a democracy that is meant to be of, for, and by the people. I further believe that a law enforcement agency is meant to protect and serve the people. It is clear from Mr. Mahuna's comments that these ideas may be unclear to him.

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I would like to speak to the resolution in November to make cannabis, or marijuana, the lowest law enforcement priority.

Cannabis has been known for its beneficial use as a medicine by ancient peoples since 2800 B.C. Nearly five thousand years later, the State of Hawaii finally realized that they were right and began to allow the use of this medicine for some conditions on April 25, 2005.

Many people in Hawaii are quite familiar with cannabis and already understand its many healing benefits. Officially sanctioned or not, cannabis is one of the safest medicines known to humankind. Unlike both aspirin and Tylenol, cannabis has never caused a single death. Unlike legal tobacco products, 30 years of research has shown that smoking cannabis does not cause lung cancer.

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