January 30, 2019
Opposition to SB 686 – Legalization of Marijuana for the personal use, possession, and sale.
My name is Barbara Ferraro, State Director for Concerned Women for America of Hawaii. Concerned Women for America is the largest public policy women’s organization in the nation with hundreds of thousands of members across the country.
We are opposing this legislation because SB 686 would be detrimental to the state of Hawaii if passed. We do not want to be like Colorado, which has passed similar legislation. They are now experiencing more crime because of it.
Here is some information about Colorado after marijuana was made legal for personal use, put out by Rocky Mountain HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area). There is a plethora of information about the problems caused by legalizing marijuana, though the information below is reason enough to avoid having the same problems here in Hawaii.
The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact, Volume 5, September 2018 update (https://rmhidta.org/files/D2DF/FINAL-%20Volume%205%20UPDATE%202018.pdf)
- The yearly rate of emergency department visits related to marijuana increased 52 percent after the legalization of recreational marijuana. (2012 compared to 2016)
- The yearly rate of marijuana-related hospitalizations increased 148 percent after the legalization of recreational marijuana. (2012 compared to 2016)
- Marijuana-only exposures more than tripled in the five-year average (2013 – 2017) since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana compared to the five-year average (2008 – 2012) prior to legalization.
As State Director for Concerned Women for America of Hawaii, we oppose the legalization of marijuana in Hawaii. We oppose the passing of SB 386.
Barbara J Ferraro
State Director
Concerned Women for America of Hawaii
(808) 965-9834
director@hawaii.cwfa.org
hi.cwfa.org