STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3288

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 34

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Labor and Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 34 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE TO ALLOW INJURED PLAYERS TO USE CANNABIDIOL IN PILL OR LIQUID FORM, IN LIEU OF OPIOIDS, TO ADDRESS THE PAIN FROM THEIR WORK-RELATED INJURIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the National Football League to allow injured players to use cannabidiol in pill or liquid form, in lieu of opioids, to address the pain from their work-related injuries.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that many National Football League players suffer from serious injuries during their careers due to the nature of the game and are often prescribed opioids to alleviate pain from those injuries. Your Committees also find that the dangers of overuse and abuse of opioids have been well-documented and the misuse of and addiction to opioids is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. Your Committees further find that research studies have demonstrated that cannabidiol, although a component of marijuana, is non-intoxicating, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, and antipsychotic, therefore alleviating pain without causing the individual to "get high". Your Committees find it may be beneficial to injured football players to be allowed to use cannabidiol in pill or liquid form, in lieu of opioids, to address the pain from their work-related injuries.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Labor and Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 34 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Labor and Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair