Legislation to decriminalize marijuana for recreational use is making progress in the state legislature. But, there are difficult roadblocks, such as disagreements among individuals who already cultivate and sell medical cannabis, even with the governor’s backing.
Care Waialua’s owner, Jason Hanley, is an advocate since he rents out greenhouse space to people who use medical marijuana and those who care for them. He can grow up to 10,000 plants in his space. Hanley expressed fear that major dispensaries would have the first opportunity to sell recreational marijuana if lawmakers moved too rapidly to legalize it.
Jason Hanley complained that there were too few outlets selling medical marijuana. He noted that only eight businesses were allowed to operate. To prevent a small number of companies from dominating an entire market, “proper rules” should be in place.
Advocates like Jason Hanley and others have argued that small-time growers like those who have medicinal marijuana cards should also be allowed to sell recreational marijuana. Executives at dispensaries have indicated they don’t have a problem with “legacy” producers, but they do want the restrictions to apply to all merchants at once to prevent the black market from filling the void.
Chris Lee, a state representative from Washington, has sponsored a bill in the Senate that would allow the selling of recreational goods. Between the typical “mom and pop” farmer (someone growing in a garage or backyard) and the “full-fledged industrial model for how to accomplish it,” Lee believes there is a “middle ground.”
The Democrat acknowledged the difficulty of regulating hundreds of tiny dealers and ensuring the safety of their items. He did, however, suggest that the system may be based on the existing guidelines for the tens of thousands of eateries in the state, which are mostly shaped by consumer complaints.
Law enforcement and child health advocates have united in their opposition to the legalization process. How much to tax sales and how much to charge for retail and grower licenses are also points of contention.
The potential financial windfall for the state government is a major argument in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana. Nevertheless, this has been the downfall of many governments, and according to Lee, this is not the primary focus of the current debates in Hawaii.
He emphasized the importance of finding a “price point” that maintains prices low enough that selling on the street no longer generates a profit. A little trial and error are required, Lee added. This is something we have to work out. As this has been tried out in a few other states, we know it can be done.
There will likely be a plethora of new regulations regarding cannabis, and the cash generated from the industry must cover the costs of implementing and enforcing them. Although Governor Josh Green has stated his support for legalized adult recreational usage, various state agencies have expressed concerns about the proposed bill.
There was no provision for a sales oversight agency, as noted by Deputy Attorney General Andrew Goff. Goff said that “it does not include any staff that would be able to implement the regulations that would be developed and certainly not be able to enforce the criminal laws.”
‘We definitely have worries about public health implications of growing cannabis usage,’ said Michelle Nakata, head of the Health Department’s Medical Cannabis Regulation Office. Lee has stated that much time will be required to work out the kinks, so even if the current legislature allows recreational usage, the start date may be pushed back several months or maybe a year.