Effort to legalize recreational marijuana use in Hawaii goes up in smoke

A push to legalize recreational adult use of marijuana in Hawaii has failed yet again.

State Senate Bill 669, which would have decriminalized and established regulations for small amounts of cannabis for personal use, failed to meet a legislative deadline Friday and is unable to progress through the state House this year, despite its quick passage through the Senate.

Puna Sen. Joy San Buenaventura introduced the bill and called it a “phased-in approach” that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational products until licensed recreational retailers could be established. Sales would have been subject to a 10% excise tax and a 10% sales tax.

Senators voted 22-3 to pass the bill on its third reading in the senate.

Nonetheless, the bill was not scheduled for any of the three House committees it was referred to.

On Friday, all bills referred to more than one committee were required to have passed all but their last committee, leaving SB 669 dead for the session.