The Hawaii Senate has passed a pair of resolutions calling on Congress to federally legalize marijuana, support state efforts to clear people’s conviction records and take steps to facilitate access to banking services for companies in the cannabis industry.
“Even though states have made significant policy changes with respect to cannabis, the federal Controlled Substances Act still classifies cannabis as a Schedule I substance,” the measures that were approved in 20-5 votes by the Senate on Thursday say, “which means that medical cannabis dispensaries and other cannabis-related businesses continue to face the prospect of federal seizures, forfeitures, arrests, and other enforcement and prosecution actions.”
The legal recreational cannabis industry could generate more than $1 billion in sales in Hawaii by its fifth year of operation, according to a recent state-commissioned study, the resolutions point out.
Current medical marijuana businesses in the state “are hampered by their inability to obtain the full spectrum of private banking services under federal law,” the measures sponsored by Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D) say, adding that “arrests and convictions for cannabis possession remain on record and often impact the ability of a person to obtain housing and employment.”
SR58 and SCR64 call on Congress to:
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