STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1095-04
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2004
RE: H.C.R. No. 152
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2004
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 152 entitled:
"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A PLAN TO PROCURE AND DISTRIBUTE MARIJUANA PLANTS OR PRODUCTS TO PATIENTS REGISTERED WITH THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM AND REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION ON THE APPLICATION OF MARIJUANA TO COMBAT CRYSTAL METHAMPHETAMINE ADDICTION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Department of Public Safety develop a plan for the procurement and distribution of marijuana plants or products to patients registered with the medical marijuana program, and to request the Department of Health investigate the possible application of marijuana in its efforts to combat the problem of crystal methamphetamine addiction.
Two concerned individuals supported this concurrent resolution. The Drug Policy Action Group supported the intent of this concurrent resolution and provided comments. The Department of Health, Department of Public Safety, Prosecuting Attorney of Honolulu, and Honolulu Police Department testified in opposition.
Your Committee finds that physicians can recommend the use of marijuana to patients in Hawaii. Current law allows certified patients to legally possess a certain amount of marijuana for medicinal purposes, but patients have great difficulty in acquiring either plants or products. There was no documentation to support the claim that marijuana should be used in intervention or treatment for crystal methamphetamine addiction.
Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by:
(1) Removing the involvement of the Department of Public Safety;
(2) Removing the involvement of the Department of Health and any investigation into the application of marijuana for crystal methamphetamine addiction;
(3) Requesting the Legislative Reference Bureau conduct a study based on information available from other states to determine:
(A) Methods by which registered users access, cultivate, distribute, or purchase plants or products;
(B) Processes or procedures by which distinctions are made by state and local agencies between medical and recreational marijuana; and
(C) Experience of states in obtaining access to marijuana supplied by the federal government for therapeutic research;
(4) Changing the title to read: "REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU CONDUCT A STUDY ON HOW MEDICAL MARIJUANA PLANTS AND PRODUCTS MAY BE PROCURED AND DISTRIBUTED TO PATIENTS REGISTERED WITH THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM;" and
(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 152, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 152, H.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |