Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Letter: Factor Japanese tourists into cannabis legislation

STAR-ADVERTISER / 2019
                                A cannabis plant is seen at Maui Grown Therapies.

STAR-ADVERTISER / 2019

A cannabis plant is seen at Maui Grown Therapies.

The Jan. 30 “Island Voices” column (“Many reasons to legalize cannabis,” Star-Advertiser) and recent letters to the editor have supported a push to legalize cannabis in Hawaii. I assume this means legalizing recreational cannabis, since cannabis use for medicinal purposes is already legal in the state.

What supporters need to consider is the impact on Japanese tourism. As Tetsuya Kubo, president and CEO of JTB Hawaii, said in February, “Possession and the use of marijuana is not accepted at all in the Japanese society, people may further speculate the ties with organized crime groups, and the Japanese media and public view of the marijuana is extremely negative.”

Victor Ferguson

Hawaii Kai


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