Bill > SCR69

This Concurrent Resolution formally asks the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a federal agency responsible for enforcing drug laws, to help the Hawaii Department of Health secure a federal exemption for the state's authorized use of cannabis. This request stems from the ongoing conflict between state and federal laws regarding cannabis, which has negatively impacted Hawaii's medical cannabis patients and licensed businesses. The resolution acknowledges that states generally have the authority to regulate cannabis within their borders and references the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, a federal provision that restricts the Department of Justice and DEA from using funds to interfere with state-sanctioned medical cannabis programs, suggesting this existing federal protection could be leveraged. The resolution also notes that the Hawaii Department of Health had previously been asked to pursue such an exemption but had hesitated due to concerns about potential negative consequences for the state's medical cannabis program.