Hawaii wants to legalize cannabis in 2023

At a press conference, Hawaii State Representative Jeanné Kapela announced a plan to legalize cannabis, including a social justice component.

«We all know, and the people of Hawaii know, that it's high time to legalize the recreational use of cannabis for adults in Hawaii. This year, we're on the precipice of history,» she explained.

«Following the recommendations of a task force dedicated to cannabis policy, we now have a roadmap for legalizing recreational cannabis in our islands,» said Kapela, referring to a report released by the Hawaii Department of Health's Cannabis Task Force in December 2022.

Kapela did not detail a timetable for the bill's introduction, but did explain a few key points, including the ambition of the criminal records erasure program.

«Social equity is at the heart of our proposal,» she explained.

In March 2021, the Hawaii Senate had approved two bills of cannabis reform, which in the end made no progress.

Hawaii's former governor, David Ige, was not a staunch supporter of cannabis legalization, and often expressed hesitation due to its federal illegality. He did, however, allow a law to pass without his signature in January 2020, which decriminalized cannabis in the state.

The newly elected governor, Josh Green, declared in November 2022 that he would sign a legalization bill.

«I think people have already moved beyond this cultural preoccupation,» Green said at a debate in October 2022.

«But here's what I would do. First of all, if cannabis is legalized, it should be very carefully monitored, the same way cigarettes are. We should take the $30 to $40 million in taxes we would get from that and invest in developing our mental health system for the good of all.»