Cannabis dispensary bill updates
don’t deserve a ‘Grade A’ ADVERTISING Cannabis dispensary bill updates
don’t deserve a ‘Grade A’ Big Island Americans for Safe Access disagrees with giving a “Grade A” to the recent updates to the cannabis dispensary (omnibus)
Cannabis dispensary bill updates
don’t deserve a ‘Grade A’
Big Island Americans for Safe Access disagrees with giving a “Grade A” to the recent updates to the cannabis dispensary (omnibus) bill (Ige signs medical marijuana bill, WHT, July 12). Of course, it is understandable if you were a chosen monopolistic dispensary owner who will make millions in profits that you would agree with the “A” rating.
In reality, the updates gave the perks to dispensary owners such as granting state business tax credit write-offs. The only thing in there for patients is that it allows advanced practice registered nurses to certify patients thus providing greater access but little more. Referring to the bill as the “omnibus” is nothing more than a joke.
What would benefit patients would be to restore the patient caregiver program, which was axed when the dispensary bill was passed. Another bill to allow for cooperatives (hui) where low-income patients could procure free or inexpensive medicine is greatly needed.
The problem: Capitalistic systems only concern themselves with maximizing profits and increasing tax revenue. Using that as their template, elected officials opted for the “vertical integration” and consolidation model where a few dispensaries owners control both the production and sales of medical cannabis. In that way the small-time independent grower is driven out, ultimately leaving patients paying out-of-pocket (nonreimbursable costs) for expensive dispensary medicine.
Patient Subhadra Corcoran expressed that in the article. Patients are left in the dust, again. What we have now only benefits the few and provides little relief for the poor and the sick and dying.
We hope and pray that during the 2017 session our legislators will pass meaningful, compassionate legislation to include restoration of the caregiver program and create cooperatives to ensure that patients are adequately cared for.
We give the current legislative updates a C- at best.
Andrea Tischler
Chairwoman, Big Island Chapter, Americans for Safe Access
Lau forgot for whom
he really worked
Regarding Debra Zager’s July 3 letter defending Wally Lau: At the candidate’s forum in Waimea July 7, Lau, when asked why he didn’t say or do anything about the Mayor Billy Kenoi’s pCard misuse, responded that he was aware of the issue, but since he only worked for the mayor, he could only advise. This is just plain wrong.
Lau and other county employees do not work for the mayor or their department/division heads. They work for the taxpayers of this county. Kenoi doesn’t pay Lau’s salary — the people of this county do. All too often this is the case — county employees forget for whom they really work.
Of course, all owe a measure of loyalty and courtesy to their supervisors, division chiefs, etc. But their main responsibility should be to the best interests of the people of this island. That is the essence of being a public servant, a civil servant, which Lau claims to be his entire life.
Yet in this case, for an extended period of time, he failed in that responsibility. That’s one of the differences between the public sector and private business. When we forget that, bad things tend to happen. And I’m saddened to think that Lau still doesn’t get it.
Neal Herbert
Hilo
