Bill > SCR250

This Concurrent Resolution urges the Governor of Hawaii to seek immediate and permanent relief from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a federal agency responsible for enforcing drug laws, regarding the state's authorized use of cannabis. The resolution highlights that Hawaii has legalized cannabis use and that federal authorities have not challenged this, despite cannabis being a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. It points out that international drug treaties allow for exemptions for authorized domestic use and that federal procedures exist for obtaining such exemptions. Specifically, the Governor is asked to apply for immediate relief under federal regulations (21 CFR § 1307.03) and petition for permanent relief (21 CFR § 1308.43), arguing that Hawaii's laws create an exemption from federal drug laws and that the federal classification of marijuana should not apply to state-authorized cannabis use.