Home | WebMail | Register or Login

      Calgary | Regions | Local Traffic Report | Advertise on Action News | Contact

Posted: 2019-07-10T00:40:52Z | Updated: 2019-07-10T00:40:52Z

Hawaii decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana on Tuesday, becoming the 26th U.S. state to strip away at least some penalties for the drug.

Under the new state law, people in possession of up to three grams of marijuana will no longer face any jail time, though they can still be punished with a $130 fine. The law also allows the criminal records of people convicted of possessing three or fewer grams of marijuana to be expunged.

The new legislation becomes effective on Jan. 11, 2020.

TODAY: Hawaii is officially the 26th state to decriminalize cannabis!

While three grams is the smallest amount of any state that has decriminalized simple possession, removing criminal penalties and possible jail time is still an improvement.https://t.co/9qJyHHzJqD

Marijuana Policy Project (@MarijuanaPolicy) July 9, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Marijuana Policy Project","author_url":"https://twitter.com/MarijuanaPolicy","cache_age":86400,"description":"TODAY: Hawaii is officially the 26th state to decriminalize cannabis! While three grams is the smallest amount of any state that has decriminalized simple possession, removing criminal penalties and possible jail time is still an improvement.https://t.co/9qJyHHzJqD Marijuana Policy Project (@MarijuanaPolicy) July 9, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Marijuana Policy Project on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/MarijuanaPolicy/status/1148726695488348160","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5d250c98e4b0cfb595fd6961","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/hawaii-decriminalizes-marijuana_n_5d250c98e4b0cfb595fd6961","entryTagsList":"marijuana,hawaii,david-ige,decriminalization","sectionSlug":"us-news","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"health,crime","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.us-news","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":5},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5d250c98e4b0cfb595fd6961","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Marijuana","slug":"marijuana","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/marijuana","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/marijuana","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/marijuana"},"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Science","slug":"science"},"topic":{"title":"Marijuana","slug":"marijuana","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/marijuana"},{"name":"Hawaii","slug":"hawaii","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/hawaii","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/hawaii","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/hawaii"},"relegenceId":3685640,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Hawaii","slug":"hawaii","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/hawaii"},{"name":"David Ige","slug":"david-ige","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/david-ige","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/david-ige","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/david-ige"},"relegenceId":4493116,"url":"https://action.news/topic/david-ige"},{"name":"decriminalization","slug":"decriminalization","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/decriminalization","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/decriminalization","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/decriminalization"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/decriminalization"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

TODAY: Hawaii is officially the 26th state to decriminalize cannabis!

While three grams is the smallest amount of any state that has decriminalized simple possession, removing criminal penalties and possible jail time is still an improvement.https://t.co/9qJyHHzJqD

Marijuana Policy Project (@MarijuanaPolicy) July 9, 2019

Hawaiis state legislature passed the bill in May before sending it to Gov. David Ige (D) to be signed into law.

While Ige didnt officially sign the bill, he also didnt veto the legislation by the required deadline, which resulted in the bill becoming law without his signature. The bill did not appear on the governors intent to veto list.

Two weeks earlier, Ige said he it was a very tough call allowing the decriminalization bill to become law.

While he ultimately decided against a veto, Ige said he wanted the bill to include provisions that provided more support for young people who we would want to get into substance abuse or other programs to help them deal with drug use.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

The Marijuana Policy Project, a legal reform group, welcomed the new legislation but criticized the small possession amount.

Unfortunately, three grams would be the smallest amount of any state that has decriminalized (or legalized) simple possession of marijuana, the organization said in a statement. Still, removing criminal penalties and possible jail time for possession of a small amount of cannabis is an improvement.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost