www.hawaiinewsnow.com Open in urlscan Pro
2600:1400:9000::687e:774b  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

Skip to content
HI Now Daily
Contests
Join Our Team
Advertise with Us

 * Live
 * News
 * Maui Wildfires
 * Weather
 * Sunrise
 * Sports
 * Podcasts
 * HI Now Daily
 * Entertainment
 * Activities
 * About Us

 * Home
 * Watch Live
 * News
 * Weather
 * Traffic
 * Sunrise
 * Latest Newscasts
 * Spotlight Now
 * Happy Holidays
 * Podcasts
 * Sports
 * Entertainment
 * HI Now Daily
 * HI Now Japan
 * Talk Story
 * Community
 * Activities
 * About Us
 * Work at HNN
 * TV Guide
 * Telemundo Hawaii
 * PowerNation
 * Circle - County Music & Lifestyle
 * Gray DC Bureau
 * InvestigateTV
 * Press Releases


Close the sidebar




HAWAII’S LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY OPPOSES ATTORNEY GENERAL’S PLAN TO LEGALIZE
USE OF MARIJUANA

Although leading lawmakers gave the proposal a warm welcome, Alm says opponents
now have ammunition from the experience of other states.
By Daryl Huff
Published: Nov. 22, 2023 at 6:01 PM HST|Updated: 9 hours ago


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii’s Law enforcement community, led by Honolulu
prosecutor Steve Alm, is lining up against the attorney general’s plan to
legalize adult use of marijuana.

Although leading lawmakers gave the proposal a warm welcome, Alm says opponents
now have ammunition from the experience of other states.

Alm said the law enforcement community was shocked when Attorney General Anne
Lopez, the state’s chief law enforcement officer, dropped opposition to
legalization.

“And when we met with them, I told Anne that, you know, that, she said, ‘the
train has left the station.’ We don’t think the train has left the station,” Alm
said. During her confirmation hearing, Attorney General Lopez promised a
marijuana legalization plan with a law enforcement perspective.



Lopez’ Special Assistant on the issue, David Day, said that was part of the
process.

“The Department of Law Enforcement, which is that state’s leading law
enforcement agency, worked collaboratively with the Department of the Attorney
General on this bill,” Day said.

Despite that, along with police and prosecutors, Alm predicts opposition from
health experts, educators, and even the visitor industry.

“Because it’s not broken,” Alm said. “Now, to me, there is no impetus to
changing the system.”



Alm said medical marijuana laws and decriminalization have already made
marijuana available to almost anyone and that research in other states is
showing that super-potent cannabis is causing everything from traffic deaths to
mental illness.

“Teenagers go to the emergency room thinking they’re going crazy,” Alm said.
“Because it’s such a strong drug, it’s a different drug entirely.”

Day said the Attorney General is aware of the risks.

“What we’ve tried to do is present a bill that tries to mitigate as many of
those risks as possible,” Day said.



In an interview with Hawaii News Now last week, Lopez said the bill provides
health oversight, education, and requirements for testing and labeling about
potency. “So that we can ensure that the right people are able to purchase it
and not children and not teenagers,” Lopez said.

The bill also offers grants and assistance to illegal growers to entice them out
of the black market. Alm said that hasn’t worked in other states, and neither
will the attorney general’s promise to beef up enforcement against illegal
growers.

“It’s total BS,” Alm said. “They’re talking about what a dedicated team from law
enforcement. Right now, they have HPD that has almost 2000 members.”

Although many hoped this would be the year marijuana would be legalized, the
opposition of law enforcement, combined with the overwhelming needs of Maui
County, could put this issue off another year.

Copyright 2023 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.



MOST READ

FIERY CRASH KILLS 2 AT NIAGARA FALLS’ RAINBOW BORDER BRIDGE. OFFICIALS SAY NO
SIGN OF TERRORISM



THESE HAWAII CONTESTANTS ARE COMPETING IN NETFLIX’S ‘SQUID GAME: THE CHALLENGE’



MOTORCYCLIST DIES AFTER PLOWING INTO CITY BUS, GETTING STRUCK BY ONCOMING CAR IN
KALIHI



BLAISDELL CENTER UNVEILS $9M MAKEOVER WITH BLESSING CEREMONY, UPCOMING SHOWS



VOLLEYBALL STANDOUT TURNED DOWN PLENTY OF OTHER OFFERS TO PLAY IN THE PLACE SHE
LOVES





LATEST NEWS

RECENT E-BIKE CRASHES RAISE SAFETY CONCERNS AND PROMPT PUSH FOR AWARENESS ON THE
ROADS



RECENT E-BIKE CRASHES RAISE SAFETY CONCERNS AND PROMPT PUSH FOR AWARENESS ON THE
ROADS



MILITARY PLANE STUCK IN KANEOHE BAY UNDER 24-HOUR MONITORING; STILL INTACT, NO
SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKS



RELIEF FOR AIEA FAMILY AS INSURANCE STEPS IN TO COVER $30K IN HOME REPAIRS AFTER
WATER MAIN BREAK



MILITARY PLANE STUCK IN KANEOHE BAY UNDER 24-HOUR MONITORING; STILL INTACT, NO
SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKS




News
Weather
Watch Live
About HNN
 * KHNL/KGMB
 * 420 Waiakamilo Road
 * Suite 205
 * Honolulu, HI 96817
 * (808) 847-3246

Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
Advertising
Digital Advertising
Closed Captioning/Audio Description
KHNL Public Inspection File
KHNLPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246
KHNL EEO Statement
KGMB Public Inspection File
KGMBPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246
KGMB EEO Statement
KFVE FCC Public Inspection File
KFVEPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246
KFVE EEO Statement
KSIX EEO Statement
KSIX Public Inspection File
KSIXPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246
KOGG Public Inspection File
KOGGPUBLICFILE@HAWAIINEWSNOW.COM (808) 847-3246
KOGG EEO Statement
FCC Applications
At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that
informs the communities we serve. Click here to learn more about our approach to
artificial intelligence.
A Gray Media Group, Inc. Station - © 2002-2023 Gray Television, Inc.