Medical Marijuana: Hawaii Legislature Overrides Veto of Bill to Study Program Problems

The Hawaii legislature Wednesday voted to override Republican Gov. Linda Lingle's veto of a bill that would establish a task force to examine problems and critical issues surrounding the state's medical marijuana law. Legislators voted to enact the bill, SB 1058, by a margin of 25-0 in the Senate and 38-9 in the House.

Hawaii became the first state to legalize medical marijuana through the legislative process when it passed its law in 2000. But patients and providers have complained over the years about various aspects of the law -- the program's administration by law enforcement instead of health officials, for example -- and have been urging the legislature to take a second look.

Now it will. Under the bill, the task force will:

• Examine current state statutes, state administrative rules, and all county policies and procedures relating to the medical marijuana program;

• Examine all issues and obstacles that qualifying patients have encountered with the program;
• Examine all issue and obstacles that state and county law enforcement agencies have encountered with the program;
• Compare and contrast Hawaii's program with all other state programs; and
• Address other issues and perform any other function necessary as the task force deems appropriate, relating to the program.