Pubdate: Mon, 04 Feb 2008
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI)
Copyright: 2008 Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.starbulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/196
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

EXPAND MEDICAL POT, BUT KEEP LOW PROFILE

THE ISSUE A state facility for patients to grow  marijuana for 
medical purposes has been proposed by a  state legislator from Maui.

A state legislator from Maui has proposed a facility  where patients 
using marijuana for medical purposes  could grow their own under 
state protection. While  well-intended, such a facility would invite 
a raid by  the Bush administration's Department of Justice 
and  probably would be unnecessary under a more  compassionate 
federal government.

Rep. Joe Bertram would authorize the state Department  of Health to 
create a facility on his island where a  patient or caregiver would 
be given space to grow as  many as 98 plants at a time. Such a 
facility would wave  a red flag to federal zealots who stubbornly 
regard marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medical value.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that the federal  government may 
prosecute medical users of marijuana,  even in the 12 states, 
including Hawaii, where  marijuana is permitted for medical use. The 
Justice  Department has been raiding California medical  dispensary 
facilities since then, while Hawaii, which  has no marijuana 
facilities, has kept a relatively low  profile.

The state Narcotics Enforcement Division administers  the medical 
marijuana law, and its chief, Keith Kamata,  says the growing 
facility would violate federal law.  More than 4,000 Hawaii patients 
have medical marijuana  cards and such a facility would give them 
false assurance that their therapy with marijuana would be  protected.

A better approach would be to improve protection to  doctors 
recommending marijuana treatment for such  ailments as nausea, 
vomiting and AIDS. Existing state  law also could be revised to 
expand the "adequate  supply" of marijuana, now limited to three 
mature plants, four immature plants and one ounce of usable  marijuana.
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