Cannabis Advocates In Hawaii Urge Lawmakers To Focus On Criminal Justice Measures

Some social justice advocacy groups in Hawaii are rallying in support of legislation to legalize, regulate and tax cannabis.

During a recent press conference alongside state lawmakers, an activist coalition called on Gov. Josh Green and the legislature to focus on criminal justice measures in cannabis legalization bills this session.

Legal cannabis presents "real opportunities for Hawaii to expand its economy and generate revenue," DeVaughn Ward, senior legislative counsel at the Marijuana Policy Project, said.

Ward also cited how "reparative justice, equity, and consumer protection are at the heart of Hawaii's cannabis policy."

The group also urged state legislators to include processes for automatic record cleaning and resentencing in cannabis bills.

"People of color and economically disadvantaged residents are disproportionately harmed by our state’s unwarranted commitment to incarceration," Rep. Jeanné Kapela, one of the speakers at the event, said.

Meanwhile, ACLU of Hawaii policy director Carrie Ann Shirota said the proposed measure is "a starting point to ensure a diverse and inclusive legal cannabis industry" that will reinvest in communities that have been devastated by the war on drugs, including disproportionate arrests for drug possession and mass incarceration.

According to a report from the Hawaii state Tax Department, legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state would generate about $50 million per year in tax revenue, far eclipsing the $2.5 million in medical marijuana taxes collected over the past fiscal year.

The agency also projected that tax revenue from legalizing recreational marijuana would be about $50 million.

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Photo: Courtesy Of David Gabrić On Unsplash