Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 Source: Haleakala Times (HI) Copyright: 2008 Haleakala Times Contact: http://www.haleakalatimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2283 Author: Brian J. Murphy MEDICAL MARIJUANA On July 7 of this year, the State of Hawaii Department of Public Safety confessed to a serious error that jeopardized the safety and confidentiality of thousands of Hawaii's medical marijuana patients. According to Mr. Clayton Frank, director of the Department of Public Safety, "On June 24, 2008, medical marijuana registration information was mistakenly forwarded by e-mail to a news reporter by one of our department employees. The information sent included the names and addresses of medical marijuana prescription holders." Since the inception of the Medical Marijuana program, our sick and disabled neighbors have had to contend with numerous challenges unique to medical marijuana patients. Now, with this private information made public, our most vulnerable patients have to fear for their safety as their medical confidentiality has been compromised and their medicinal supply endangered. To add insult upon injury, on July 8 Governor Linda Lingle vetoed HB2675, which would have established a task force to study the many aspects of medical marijuana. This task force would have studied and investigated the laws and practices in order to shape a viable program that would offer more help than harm to our patients. While the State Senate showed admirable political will in overriding the veto, our State House dropped the ball. Governor Lingle justified her actions, claiming, "the use of marijuana, even medical marijuana, is illegal under federal law." State of Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett has already clarified that "an act criminalized under federal law is not necessarily a criminal act under state law, and vice versa." I find it fascinating that Hawaii's governor is far more interested in serving Federal interests than the needs of Hawaii's people. Perhaps this foreshadows some bid for a Federal position. We do not deny her right to aspire for higher office, but while she is Hawaii's governor, we ask that she govern Hawaii; not as some Federalist state kowtowing to Washington DC pressures, but under the laws our people have passed. This wholesale persecution of Hawaii's medical community by Hawaii State offices, while nothing new, has crossed a critical line. Hawaii politicians are famous for currying federal favor over the interests of our well-being, but this pathetic display of inconsistency and unfairness has threatened an entire medical community as no other. Unfortunately, our Governor displays no interest in learning anything about the dangers that our people face on a daily basis. Meanwhile, hundreds of Maui patients, already burdened with outdated and unfair societal stigmas, now have to live with the fear that their medicine and privacy are at risk. If Hawaii's diabetics faced the same dangers in acquiring their insulin that medical marijuana patients face with their medicine, there would be a very loud outcry. Agree with it or not, medical marijuana has been recognized by the State of Hawaii as a viable medicine, and thousands of patients have been given the right to administer it medicinally. The State of Hawaii allows its law enforcement officers and government officials to threaten, harass, and endanger the very patients they license. We are not second-class citizens, and we are entitled to equal protection under the law. Mahalo, Brian J. Murphy Director Patients Without Time Paia, Maui - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake