{news} Hawaii County latest community to make marijuana 'lowestpriority, ' but police say no changes

[Jean de Smet]

Thank you to the Greens for having the common sense to support a
constitutional convention.  These reforms can only happen in states where
the public has a voice.

 

Jean

 

-----Original Message-----
From: ctgp-news-bounces at ml.greens.org
[mailto:ctgp-news-bounces at ml.greens.org] On Behalf Of Clifford Thornton
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2008 8:08 AM
To: ctgp-news
Subject: {news} Hawaii County latest community to make marijuana
'lowestpriority, ' but police say no changes

 

Every thing that was present in pre world war II Germany exist within this
country today.

Only Obama is different, I hope that he has not been bought and sold.


How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think.
~Adolf Hitler 


Hawaii County latest community to make marijuana 'lowest priority,' but
police say no changes


By Associated Press 

7:09 AM EST, November 8, 2008 

http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-hawaii-marijuana,0,1489469.st
ory

 

  <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_3HowvKlA>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_3HowvKlA

HILO, Hawaii
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/hawaii-PLGEO100101900000000.topic>  (AP) _
Hawaii County police and federal authorities say they will continue
enforcing marijuana laws on the Big Island despite the passage of a ballot
initiative making it the lowest priority for law enforcement.

Voters approved the measure 34,957 to 25,464 in Tuesday's election. It was
one of several victories for advocates of less punitive marijuana penalties.
Massachusetts
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/massachusetts-PLGEO100102700000000.topic>
became the 13th state to decriminalize the herb; Michigan
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/michigan-PLGEO100102800000000.topic>
became the 13th state to legalize medical marijuana, and Fayetteville, Ark.,
also passed a resolution making marijuana the college town's lowest law
enforcement priority.

Other cities that have previously passed "lowest priority" initiatives in
recent years include Denver, Seattle and Eureka Springs, Ark., as well as
the California
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/california-PLGEO100100100000000.topic>
cities of Santa Barbara
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/california/santa-barbara-county/santa-barba
ra-%28santa-barbara-california%29-PLGEO100100107010000.topic> , Santa Monica
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/california/los-angeles-county/los-angeles/s
anta-monica-PLGEO100100102388000.topic>  and Oakland
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/california/alameda-county/oakland-%28alamed
a-california%29-PLGEO100101101011134.topic> . In San Francisco and West
Hollywood
<http://www.courant.com/topic/us/california/los-angeles-county/los-angeles/w
est-hollywood-PLGEO1001001023810400.topic> , similar measures were passed by
elected officials.

But Hawaii County Police Chief Lawrence Mahuna said the measure is a
resolution, not a law, and added, "there will be no change how we prioritize
the enforcement of marijuana. The resolution does not invalidate federal
law. It doesn't legalize marijuana. It's still a Schedule 1 controlled
substance, he said.

"We will continue in our efforts to reduce the availability of illegal
marijuana," he said.

County Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida disagreed with Mahuna's assertion
that the approved measure isn't a law.

The County Charter states an initiative approved by voters becomes a county
ordinance, or law.

Ashida said that under the new law, the County Council can't accept funds
for marijuana eradication programs, and the county clerk must send an annual
letter to state and federal elected officials requesting that "government
remove criminal penalties for the cultivation, possession and use of
cannabis for adult personal use."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency said passage of the initiative
won't change its approach to the enforcement of federal law.

"In a nutshell, we're going to continue to enforce the drug laws, which
includes marijuana," said Tony Williams
<http://www.courant.com/topic/sports/tony-williams-PESPT007978.topic> , DEA
assistant special agent in charge, speaking from Honolulu. He said the focus
will remain on those who cultivate marijuana and distribute narcotics.

The measure was pushed by the group Project Peaceful Sky, whose director,
Adam Lehmann, said it doesn't decriminalize marijuana.

"It's only for adult personal use on private property," he said.

Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney Jay Kimura called the initiative
unenforceable, but said he would consult with the state attorney general to
see what could be done to implement it.

___

Information from: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, http://www.hilohawaiitribune.com

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist10.pair.net/mailman/private/ctgp-news/attachments/20081112/2ff09c68/attachment.html>