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Isles Warned Over Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on March 18, 2010 at 11:25:43 PT
By Melissa Tanji, Staff Writer
Source: Maui News
Wailuku -- Hawaii could see an increase in crime and other economic fallout if it legalizes medical marijuana dispensaries and softens medical marijuana laws, two Los Angeles police officers warned Wednesday."It's so bad in L.A.," said Sgt. Eric Bixler of the Narcotics Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. He said law enforcement officials there deal daily with the effects of California's Proposition 215, which allows patient caregivers to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal medical use. People driving while smoking, and teens buying marijuana at dispensaries to resell on the street are just some of the problems caused by the law, the officers said.
Bixler and another Los Angeles officer were among the presenters at a Hawaii Medical Marijuana Summit offered Wednesday for law enforcement and other community members at Baldwin High School's multipurpose room. They appeared on behalf of the California Narcotic Officers' Association that trains law enforcement officials in narcotic enforcement activities.The Hawaii State Legislature this year is considering several proposals that would loosen marijuana restrictions, including proposals that would allow the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries.Upcountry, East Maui, Molokai and Lanai Sen. J. Kalani English, who was among the lawmakers to introduce bills to loosen restrictions on marijuana, said his bills were different from California's medical marijuana laws because he was aware of some of the problems attributed to Proposition 215. He said he took the "best" features of medical marijuana legislation across the country to craft proposals that would have stricter controls on the drug and avoid pitfalls seen in other jurisdictions.English's bills, one of which would legalize and tax dispensaries as a way of generating revenue for the state, and the other of which would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, have passed from the Senate to the House for discussion.English objected to the summit, saying the meeting only represented the views of medical marijuana opponents and was based only on the views of the Los Angeles Police Department. He felt that event organizers should have invited people with a variety opinions for a real dialogue about the issue."This whole thing is repugnant," he said. "What they are trying to do is skew what we are trying to do here."English said he met with officials from all four Hawaii county police departments this week, and that all agreed that patients with serious illnesses should have access to marijuana, if they need it, but that they didn't want others to abuse medical marijuana laws.Most of the presentations Wednesday were set to focus on Proposition 215, which was passed by California voters in 1996. The law allows patients and their caregivers with a valid doctor's approval to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal medical use. It also protects a system of collective and cooperative cultivation and distribution of marijuana.Because the meeting was closed to journalists, Bixler and Detective Glenn Walsh of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Narcotics Division spoke to reporters outside the room.Bixler said it's not uncommon to see someone "smoking out" while driving down the street, and that he has seen teenagers walk out of dispensaries with marijuana and sell the drug to their friends."We have more (marijuana) dispensaries than Starbucks," Walsh added, saying Los Angeles alone has around 900 to 1,000 dispensaries.The two officers said there are many misconceptions about Proposition 215, including that it allows medical marijuana "dispensaries."Some people have opened up dispensaries by claiming to be caregivers, they said.Bixler said dispensaries or self-described "compassion centers" are actually "storefront marijuana dealers."Walsh dismissed advocates' claims that legalizing and taxing marijuana could be a potential source of revenue for states, saying other vice taxes, such as those levied on alcohol and cigarettes, do not offset the greater cost of social problems to the community.He noted that, nationwide, the federal government and states collected a combined $14.5 billion in taxes on alcohol in 2007, compared with a cost of $185 billion for alcohol-related health care, lost productivity and law enforcement, according to statements by the National Drug Control Policy Director R. Gil Kerlikowske.For tobacco, about $25 billion is collected in taxes each year, compared with $200 billion in social costs, Walsh added, citing Kerlikowske's report.Both officers expressed concern that English's bill, if passed, would allow Hawaii's four counties to each establish their own laws governing dispensaries. Walsh and Bixler said that a lack of consistency from county to county made it difficult to enforce the law.For example, a dealer could purchase the drug somewhere like Mendocino County, which allows citizens to possess up to 2 pounds of dried marijuana, and then take it to other counties to sell.English didn't think that would be a problem in Hawaii if his bill became law.Under his proposal, the amount of medical marijuana a patient could possess would be the same across all counties, because the amount is established by state law.But he said he believed that, in the spirit of "home rule," the county governments should be able to decide how to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries within their jurisdiction, such as where the dispensaries could be located, when they could operate, and how they could be inspected.There are already around 6,000 medical marijuana patients in Hawaii, he noted.Taxing medical marijuana at a rate of $30 per ounce as he proposes could net the state around $60 million in new revenues each year, he said; and English proposes splitting the take between the state and counties.Asked to respond to the criticism that products like cigarettes and alcohol cause more costs and negative social impacts than they generate revenue in vice taxes, English said most of the studies he's seen found that "it's neutral."English said he used information from the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and its studies for crafting his bill. The forum found Hawaii state and county governments could reap up to $33 million annually in new revenues and cost savings if tax and regulatory policies were to replace law enforcement to control marijuana distribution.The report by Lawrence W. Boyd, an economist at University of Hawaii West Oahu, said there is either no relationship or a weak positive relationship between decriminalization and drug use. It said that, given the current low prosecution rates and small penalties, it's doubtful that decriminalization would have much effect on marijuana use in Hawaii.English said he didn't see much difference between marijuana and legal drugs, such as oxycodone and codeine in Tylenol."There is abuse of that too. There is social cost with that too," he said.Source: Maui News, The (HI)Author: Melissa Tanji, Staff WriterPublished: March 18, 2010 Copyright: 2010 The Maui NewsContact: letters mauinews.comWebsite: http://www.mauinews.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/L7VoAzIfCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #18 posted by Hope on March 20, 2010 at 22:38:39 PT
California Narcotic Officers' Association
I would say yes. That their trip and time were paid for by the tax payers. I'm sure the California Narcotic Officers' Association doesn't "Train(s) law enforcement officials" just for and out of their sheer zeal for narcotics law enforcement."Bixler and another Los Angeles officer were among the presenters at a Hawaii Medical Marijuana Summit offered Wednesday for law enforcement and other community members at Baldwin High School's multipurpose room. They appeared on behalf of the California Narcotic Officers' Association that trains law enforcement officials in narcotic enforcement activities."
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Comment #17 posted by Zandor on March 19, 2010 at 07:49:26 PT
LAPD PIGS ARE LIARS!!!
I know it's a shock but...LAPD pigs LIE about Marijuana!!PIG COPS don't make laws..."They enforce laws ONLY!!!"Why is LAPD there in the first place...what a waste of tax payer money this is!!!!
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Comment #16 posted by Paint with light on March 18, 2010 at 22:55:42 PT
#7 Think "tanks"
With a basic war mentality I thought all conservatives thought about were "tanks" and other implements of destruction.Then there was the conservative comedian whose trademark song was "Tanks for the Memories".Legal like alcohol.
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Comment #15 posted by Shielde on March 18, 2010 at 18:17:47 PT
someone beat me to it
These fine officers probably took some time off without pay and paid for their hotel and airfare with their own money.OK sarcasm off, someone should write a letter to the local paper to do a story on wasted taxpayer funds. These officers were more than likely getting paid regular salaries if not overtime to go and spread propaganda and they more than likely didn't stay at a hole in the wall dump.
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Comment #14 posted by runruff on March 18, 2010 at 18:16:30 PT
"'economic fallout’"
They are talking cuts in their budgets!Otherwise full legalization would be an economic-boon to the rest of the country! 
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Comment #13 posted by Had Enough on March 18, 2010 at 18:12:13 PT
Economics...2010
“”Wailuku -- Hawaii could see an increase in crime and other 'economic fallout’ if it legalizes medical marijuana dispensaries and softens medical marijuana laws, two Los Angeles police officers warned Wednesday.””economic fallout???About the only economic fallout you can see from here is the easy pickins’ for cops, lawyers, judges, and the asset forfeiture robbery tactics...Somebody needs to do some ‘splainin here...
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on March 18, 2010 at 18:03:52 PT
Had Enough
I also want to know who paid the bill to go to Hawaii.
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Comment #11 posted by Had Enough on March 18, 2010 at 17:59:29 PT
Warning!!! Tripping in Hawaii!!!
“”Wailuku -- Hawaii could see an increase in crime and other economic fallout if it legalizes medical marijuana dispensaries and softens medical marijuana laws, two Los Angeles police officers ’warned’ Wednesday.””Warned...Hhmmm...Warned???Who are they to be ‘warning’ people on State Legislation issues???They aren’t even from that state...I wonder who foot the bill for their travel expenses to Hawaii???Did they get a window seat...did they fly first class???Did they get to stay in a five star hotel???Are they getting plenty to eat while there???Are they getting plenty of those fancy adult beverages with the umbrellas stuck in them???(umbrella drinks)Are they still on the payroll clock while there???Did they get paid overtime to go to Hawaii???Hhmmm...Double Hhmmm!!!Warning!!!...Warning!!!...Warning!!!...COPS GONE WILD!!!
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Comment #10 posted by BGreen on March 18, 2010 at 17:10:36 PT
LA cops = A plethora of corruption
Are there more dispensaries than there are pharmacies? Or how about liquor stores? How about places that sell cigarettes? Are there really an extraordinary amount of cannabis dispensaries when compared to these businesses?Heck NO!I'm so sick of this "Starbucks" nonsense. What in the hell does one brand of coffee shop have to do with cannabis? Are there more dispensaries than coffee shops in total?Heck NO!LA cops are notoriously corrupt. They are proven liars. Just watch MSNBC on the weekends and you'll see all kinds of video proof of this.Why do known and proven liars still get to pass themselves off as experts in anything except lying?Ooh, big news. Cops want to continue with the status quo or ramping up of prohibition. Hold the presses everybody.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #9 posted by dongenero on March 18, 2010 at 14:53:05 PT
runruff
It's like think tank meets septic tank.
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Comment #8 posted by dongenero on March 18, 2010 at 14:51:05 PT
Dr. Police officials?
English said he met with officials from all four Hawaii county police departments this week, and that all agreed that patients with serious illnesses should have access to marijuana, if they need it, but that they didn't want others to abuse medical marijuana laws.Great, we have, ahem....police officials groups figuring out the practice of medicine for us. While they're at it, they could tell Hawaii how doomed to failure their decades old, universal health care system is. I thought you guys always throw your hands up and say, "we just enforce the laws".With as little respect as possible, who cares what these ding-a-lings think seriously ill people should or shouldn't have? Their opinion on medicine and medical protocol is irrelevant.
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Comment #7 posted by runruff on March 18, 2010 at 14:07:36 PT
So, Johnny Pee gotta key!
So, after making a walking, living fart joke out of himself for so many years he gets a key to the executives toilet at a corporate sponsored think tank?Since I have not seen any evidence of any thinking in the Bush Administration, I wonder just what kind of think tank this is?I hope it is a think tank where they learn how to think!
Realistically though it is a think tank where they do their level best to conive how to do social engineering.Mindless stuff like how to collect more pee and stuff! Better keep an eye on your pee kids, Johnny Pee is out to get it!
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Comment #6 posted by runruff on March 18, 2010 at 13:13:32 PT
These guys are proof that anyone can pass
a GED test now days!
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Comment #5 posted by runruff on March 18, 2010 at 13:09:23 PT
please don't watch stoned,
you could choke to death laughing.http://www.druglibrary.org/olsen/medical/young/young.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1kTZRcKZ6YWhich one of these LEOs would you seek advice from?
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 18, 2010 at 13:02:18 PT
herbdoc215
I wish you the best with your mission. It's a good one.
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Comment #3 posted by runruff on March 18, 2010 at 13:00:12 PT
They forgot to tell them about...reefer madness..
...the red-eyed, purple scaled, green headed monster you will become if you smoke just one puff!OK the moroon squad is trying to be creative and save their ill gotten jobs! Nothing more entertaining than a creative cop especially if they are shooting themselves in the foot or calling 911 because they overdose on brownies!OK, lets just have full on legalization and do away with a need to theft herb.Now what?
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Comment #2 posted by herbdoc215 on March 18, 2010 at 12:22:27 PT
What they are not telling you is all the Veterans 
issues and problems Hawaii is having that that could be alleviated by cannabis if they would only open their eyes! They are perfectly ok with sending our 18 yr old kids to die, but lord forbid they try to medicate away the rage that the gov't has placed straight on their backs! The gov't is perfectly ok with the Ritalin lines being longest in every school is USA today, ain't heard nary a word in complaint nor read one? Cannabis does not cause violence it dissipates it! if anybody here is a vet or interested we are moving ahead with VetsCann and it is picking up speed like gangbusters...there is nothing like an idea whose time has come! We have a facebook page up at...
 
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=app_2373072738&gid=351456618890#!/group.php?gid=351456618890and a fan/supporters page is up there as well and is located at...
 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/VetsCann/362418949431?ref=mfand I would like to invite all interested parties to join in and help make this something that the cannabis community gives back to all those whom made our freedoms possible! The official website and forums are under construction now and will be up in the next couple of weeks! 
peace, Steve Tuck
http://www.VetsCann.com
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 18, 2010 at 11:30:01 PT
A Big Question
Why are LA Police in Hawaii telling Hawaii Police what to do? Police don't make laws just enforce them. I do not get it.
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