Cannabis in Hawaii
Adult-use cannabis is illegal.
A medical cannabis program was legalized by legislation in 2000.
Sen. Brian Schatz - D
Does Not Support Federal Legalization
- Expunge Past Cannabis Convictions
- Reinvest In Communities Most Impacted By The War On Drugs
- Allow States To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
- Allow States To Legalize Medical Cannabis
- Allow VA Doctors To Recommend Medical Cannabis
- Allow Cannabis Businesses To Use Banks
- Co-sponsored the SAFER Banking Act of 2023, which would ensure that all businesses – including State-sanctioned cannabis businesses – have access to deposit accounts, insurance and other financial services.
- Sponsored the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act of 2023, which would allow veterans to use, possess and transport medical cannabis, and also to be able to discuss medical cannabis with a VA Doctor as authorized by a State or Indian Tribe.
- Co-Sponsored the Safe Banking Act of 2023, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level
- Filed an amendment that would allow veterans to access medical cannabis through the VA system in states where it is legal and require the VA to research the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabis for certain conditions. (2021)
- Introduced the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act, which would allow veterans to use, possess, or transport medical marijuana and discuss the use of medical marijuana with a physician of the Department of Veterans Affairs in accordance with state or tribal law. (2021)
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act of 2021, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2021)
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act of 2019, which would allow banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2019)
- Cosponsored the CARERS Act of 2017, which would prevent the federal government from interfering with state medical cannabis policy and end the federal prohibition of CBD.
- Cosponsored the Veterans Medical Marijuana Safe Harbor Act, which would allow VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis for veterans in states where it is legal.
- Cosponsored the Hemp Farming Bill of 2018, which would end the federal prohibition of industrial hemp.
- Signed a letter asking the Justice Department to respect state marijuana laws. (2018)
- Sen. Schatz told VICE: We need to move towards decriminalization for two reasons: basic fairness and harm reduction. First, while white people and people of color use marijuana at the same rate, people of color are four times more likely to be arrested. So this is a matter of civil justice. And second, we have a nationwide opioid crisis. There are now credible studies that show a precipitous drop in opioid deaths in places where medical marijuana is legal. We are seeing that where medical marijuana is legal, opioid prescriptions decrease.” (2018)
- Voted in favor of allowing VA doctors to recommend cannabis for veterans in states where it is legal. (2017)
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act, which would allow banks to provide services to legitimate cannabis businesses.
- Cosponsored the CARERS Act of 2015, which would have prevented the government from interfering with state medical cannabis policy, moved cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II, ended the federal prohibition of CBD, allowed banks to provide services to legal cannabis businesses, and allowed VA doctors to recommend cannabis for veterans in states where it is legal. (2015)
- Cosponsored the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015, which would have ended the federal prohibition of industrial hemp. (2015)
- Voted in favor of preventing the Justice Department from prosecuting medical cannabis patients and providers in states where it is legal. (2016)
- Voted in favor of allowing banks to provide financial services to cannabis-related businesses that are operating legally under state laws. (2016)
Sen. Mazie K. Hirono - D
Does Not Support Federal Legalization
- Expunge Past Cannabis Convictions
- Reinvest In Communities Most Impacted By The War On Drugs
- Allow States To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
- Allow States To Legalize Medical Cannabis
- Allow VA Doctors To Recommend Medical Cannabis
- Allow Cannabis Businesses To Use Banks
- Co-sponsored the SAFER Banking Act of 2023, which would ensure that all businesses – including State-sanctioned cannabis businesses – have access to deposit accounts, insurance and other financial services.
- Co-Sponsored the Safe Banking Act of 2023, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level
- Cosponsored the Kenneth P. Thompson Begin Again Act, which would allow individuals who have completed their probation for a first-time, low-level drug possession offense to apply for expungement of their conviction. (2021)
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act of 2021, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2021)
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act of 2019, which would allow banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2019)
- Called on the Senate Appropriations Committee to respect state marijuana laws. (2018)
- Cosponsored the Hemp Farming Bill of 2018, which would end the federal prohibition of industrial hemp.
- Cosponsored the CARERS Act of 2017, which would prevent the federal government from interfering with state medical cannabis policy and end the federal prohibition of CBD.
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act, which would allow banks to provide services to legitimate cannabis businesses.
- Cosponsored the CARERS Act of 2015, which would have prevented the government from interfering with state medical cannabis policy, moved cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II, ended the federal prohibition of CBD, allowed banks to provide services to legal cannabis businesses, and allowed VA doctors to recommend cannabis for veterans in states where it is legal. (2015)
- Cosponsored the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2015, which would have ended the federal prohibition of industrial hemp. (2015)
Rep. Ed Case (HI-1) - D
Supports Federal Legalization
- Expunge Past Cannabis Convictions
- Reinvest In Communities Most Impacted By The War On Drugs
- Allow States To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
- Allow States To Legalize Medical Cannabis
- Allow VA Doctors To Recommend Medical Cannabis
- Allow Cannabis Businesses To Use Banks
- Co-Sponsored the Safe Banking Act of 2023, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level
- Voted in favor of The Medical Marijuana Research Act, which would remove some barriers to medical cannabis research and allow researchers to use dispensary grade cannabis. (2022)
- Voted in favor of the MORE Act, which would end the prohibition of cannabis at the federal level, expunge low-level cannabis convictions, and levy a tax on cannabis sales to fund grants for communities that have been disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition. (2022)
- Co-sponsored The Medical Marijuana Research Act, which would remove some barriers to medical cannabis research and allow researchers to use dispensary grade cannabis. (2021)
- Voted in favor of the SAFE Banking Act of 2021, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2021)
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act of 2021, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2021)
- Voted in favor of the MORE Act, which would end the prohibition of cannabis at the federal level, expunge low-level cannabis convictions, and levy a tax on cannabis sales to fund grants for communities that have been disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition. (2020)
- Voted in favor of the SAFE Banking Act of 2019, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2019)
- Voted in favor of preventing the Justice Department from prosecuting cannabis users and businesses in states where recreational cannabis is legal. (2019)
- Cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act of 2019, which would allow banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level. (2019)
- Said he supports allowing states to set their own cannabis policies. (2018)
Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-2) D
Does Not Support Federal Legalization
- Expunge Past Cannabis Convictions
- Reinvest In Communities Most Impacted By The War On Drugs
- Allow States To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
- Allow States To Legalize Medical Cannabis
- Allow VA Doctors To Recommend Medical Cannabis
- Allow Cannabis Businesses To Use Banks
- Co-Sponsored the Safe Banking Act of 2023, which allows banks to work with cannabis businesses that are legal at the state level
- As a Hawaii State Senator voted in favor of HI-SB 879, which reduced the penalties for the possession of Marijauna in Hawaii. (2015)
Gov. Josh Green - D
Supports Adult Use Legalization In Their State
- In response to a candidate survey, Green said: “I support legalization, provided that the tax revenue generated from cannabis sales be used to help treat drug addiction and individuals suffering with behavioral or mental illness.” (2022)
- When asked if he supported President Biden’s cannabis pardon policy call for governors, Green said: “Yes. Putting people in prison when they’ve had a challenge with consumption of drugs themselves doesn’t make any sense. Why do you put people in prison when they’ve only hurt themselves…. We need people to go on with their lives. We don’t want to separate them from their children or their spouses. It doesn;t make any sense to put people in prison for those minor drug offenses… But again, marijuana is of far less of a concern than the opioid epidemic.” (2022)
- In a gubernatorial debate, Green said: “…If marijuana is legalized, it should be very carefully monitored, and only done like cigarettes, or I’ve been very careful to regulate tobacco over the years. We should take the $30 to $40 million of taxes we would get from that and invest in the development and recreation of our mental healthcare system for the good of all.” Green also said that he did not support legalizing marijuana for people under 21 but thought it was useful for people with PTSD, chronic pain and other conditions who might otherwise self-medicate with opioids or other addictive drugs. (2022)
- As a Hawaii State Senator voted in favor of HI-SB 879, which reduced the penalties for the possession of Marijauna in Hawaii. (2015)
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