Hawaii’s Attorney General Now Backs Legalizing Marijuana And Says He Will Work To Get Reform Passed Next Year!
The legalization of marijuana will no longer be opposed, according to the attorney general of Hawaii, whose office would instead actively support the change by collaborating with politicians and other interested parties.
During a committee hearing on Wednesday, Attorney General Anne Lopez (D), who was appointed by the governor in December but has yet to be confirmed by the Senate for a full term, was asked whether the department would automatically oppose legalization bills as it has in the past.
During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which ultimately approved Lopez’s appointment, Lopez stated that her party would not outright oppose it. In terms of policy, I do think the legislature should be in charge of making such choices.
She continued by making an unexpected promise to collaborate with lawmakers to draft comprehensive reform legislation.
According to Lopez, if you want to legalize marijuana, you can attach a comprehensive regulatory and law enforcement legislative package to any measure by having her office lead an administrative task force between now and the upcoming legislative session.
We’re going to use the summer, our past experience, and that of other states to design a system that will enable the state to have legal recreational marijuana with as few issues as the other states on the mainland have, she added.
She plans to start organizing a multi-agency effort, bringing together the state Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, and law enforcement agencies so that we have a consensus that what we’re developing will be supported by the executive branch, even though the department would be more than happy to participate in a separate legalization working group that is being proposed as part of a legislative resolution.
Since that train has already left the station, I’ve modified our stance from being opposed to it, Lopez added. So let’s figure out how to assist you. Let’s provide you with those boundaries so you can enact the rules and regulations you desire.
A law to legalize cannabis for adult use was passed by the Senate last month, but the House failed to act on it for the entire year. The focus of lawmakers and supporters is now on 2024, which is also the timeframe that the attorney general is considering.
The bill won’t have to start over in the Senate next year since the session hasn’t concluded yet. As Speaker Scott Saiki (D) previously stated he would prefer to do this during the summer, this may also offer House members who are undecided about the measure additional time to discuss and improve it.
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Over the course of several sessions, lawmakers fought to pass legalization in the Aloha State. In 2021, the Senate also approved the form, but it also failed to pass a House committee by a crucial deadline.
ALSO READ: Washington Lawmakers Set To Enact Interstate Marijuana Sales Bill!
In part, because he said he was hesitant to approve legislation that clashes with federal law, former Democratic governor Dave Ige, who has opposed legalization, has been difficult for advocates to work with. Despite the fact that Hawaii has a medical marijuana program that permits individuals to cultivate and sell cannabis in defiance of a general federal ban, this is the case.
However, since Gov. Josh Green (D) took office, activists feel more confident. He promised to sign a measure legalizing cannabis for adults in November, and he already has plans for how to use the proceeds from marijuana sales as tax money.
A bill to establish an advisory group to consider potential laws to give access to federal breakthrough treatments like psilocybin and MDMA was adopted by the Hawaii Senate on Tuesday. In the meanwhile.
In order to prepare for their eventual federal approval as medicines, a spokesperson of the health department said he thought it would be a more meaningful move for lawmakers to just legalize some psychedelics.
