Hawaii Gov Can’t Make Decision on Medical Cannabis Vs Opioids

Here’s the jist of the piece .. more at

https://www.marijuana.com/news/2018/07/hawaiis-governor-sandbags-law-to-allow-marijuana-as-opioid-remedy/

Hawaii’s Democratic Gov. David Ige faces a big decision — whether to authorize the use of medicinal cannabis as treatment for individuals addicted to opioids.

SB 2407, advanced by the State Legislature on April 19, 2018, awaits Ige’s signature. Despite the bill’s passage in both the House and Senate, Ige filed a notice of intent to veto the legislation in late June.

So, why is he hesitant?

“Our nation is facing a serious opioid crisis that is claiming the lives of thousands of people, plunging families into tragedy, and taking a devastating toll on society. While our state often experiences public health trends well after they occur on the mainland, the warning signs are appearing,” Ige said in acknowledging the state’s growing opioid crisis in a special message on Dec. 1, 2017.

Yet a bill that would help address this has been sitting on his desk since April.

Rather than signing SB 2407 and addressing the opioid epidemic head on, Ige plans to defer to the state’s Department of Health (DOH) and support its petition process for adding new conditions.

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