Cannabis was in the spotlight for the Democratic Party of Hawaii earlier this month as leaders examined legalization and access to medical marijuana — issues included in the party platform.

A forum was held at the Democratic Party of Hawaii’s headquarters on South Street — April 20. It was moderated by Christopher Garth, executive director of the Hawaii Dispensary Alliance, and was focused on the future of cannibis. Panelists were Sen. Will Espero (D, Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point) and Rep. Kaniela Ing (D, South Maui); Pamela Lichty, president and founder of the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii; and Me Fuimaono-Poe, founder of Malie Cannabis Clinic of Hawaii.

“We support fair and equitable access to medical marijuana to be administered by the State of Hawaii’s Department of Health,” Tim Vandeveer, chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, said of the party’s platform. He quoted another part of the platform regarding drug policy reform: “We support legalization and regulation of marijuana and other cannabis derivatives.”

U.S. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D, Hawaii), who recently called for an end to federal marijuana prohibition, was on Maui but spoke live via the Internet.

Gabbard tied the issue of marijuana policy to criminal justice. She argued cannabis prohibition has been a burden “at a time when both Democrats and Republicans have come together in a historic way, recognizing both the social and physical costs of our broken criminal justice system on our communities, and on our country.”

Gabbard cited a statistic provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation: every 42 seconds, someone somewhere in the U.S. is arrested for either marijuana possession or use. She also said opioid-related fatalities have decreased in states where medical marijuana is legal.

Dr. D. Scott McCaffrey, president of the Hawaii Medical Association, said likewise. “The problems we’re having with opioids and OxyContin … this is a real epidemic on the mainland. Doctors are looking for ways to treat pain that are less dangerous.”

Gabbard also brought attention to the acquaintance former presidents have had with cannabis. “Our last three presidents have said publicly that they’ve smoked pot at one time or another, yet they have not served a single day in jail. They have not been arrested for this, yet as presidents of our country, they have still supported the enforcement of these laws that they have never been subject to.”

Espero offered predictions regarding agriculture. “With the reputation that Hawaii already has with Maui Waui or any other strains or types of plants out there, I can see hemp and marijuana being the next golden crops.”

Espero also said the model for pot legalization already exists, “as long as we have prevention and education and treat marijuana just like alcohol.” He also said insomnia, depression, and stress should be added as qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. “If those three were added to the list, you would add thousands, if not tens of thousands, of potential patients.”

This legislative session, Ing introduced House Bill 449, which would have legalized the growth, possession, use, and sale of cannabis by citizens over 21. The bill died in January after it was referred to the House Committees on Health, Judiciary, and Finance.

Ing recounted his youth, saying he and his friends used to “smoke weed in the dugouts at 12, 13 years old.” He said because a dealer laced marijuana with methamphetamines, two of his friends got hooked and were later addicted to meth by age 14. Ing said if cannabis had been legal at the time, such a circumstance could have been prevented.

Ing also suggested that, were it legalized, the revenues generated from marijuana sales could be diverted to the state’s educational system.