Big Island Now poll no. 44: Do you support the legalization of recreational marijuana?

Going into this year’s legislative session, the Department of the Attorney General believes lawmakers could theoretically pass a bill legalizing adult-use cannabis as early as this year.

While the department opposes the legalization, Attorney General Anne Lopez said her office wouldn’t oppose legislation so long as provisions to protect public safety and public health remain in the bill and provisions unacceptable to the Department are not inserted.

Lopez filed a report and draft bill that warned the legislature of the risks, while simultaneously providing a framework that includes robust public safety and public health safeguards.

“We believe that it would be irresponsible – both from a legal standpoint and as a matter of commonsense –for the Department to refrain from weighing in on how a transition to legalization could best protect the public welfare,” Lopez said.

Click here to read the report and click here to read the draft bill.