Bill Vetoed in Hawaii that Would Allow Opioid Addicts to Get Marijuana Instead

Marijuana for opioid addicts

Marijuana for opioid addicts: David Ige, Hawaii's Governor, has just vetoed a bill that would allow opioid addicts to receive medical marijuana. Had the bill gone through, these patients would begin treatment using cannabis to help with substance abuse. It would be used very similarly to Methadone.

Six months ago, the Hawaii State Legislature introduced SB2407, and it passed by large margins back in May. One month later it seems the governor has decided to veto the legislation.

What Gives?

The Hawaii State Legislature moved rather quickly in May to pass the bill so that its residents suffering from opioid addiction could start their new course of treatment with marijuana under a physician's supervision. Currently, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey use medical marijuana to treat opiate and opioid addiction.

The governor announced his plans to veto the bill via the state legislature website in late June and many urged him to reconsider. Colleen Hanabusa, Hawaiian Congresswomen, told HighTimes that this is a life or death issue and this bill has the chance to save people's lives in the state.

Governor Ige pointed out that the Department of Health in Hawaii already has a process in place for adding new qualifying conditions for medical cannabis treatment. It is a formal process that both patients and physicians can initiate annually and doesn't want SB2407 to provide any "shortcuts" to access medical cannabis.

The governor is seeking re-election this fall, but his competitor happens to be Congresswoman Hanabusa, who has a strong backing as she is much more progressive on the cannabis policies.

Opioid Crisis in the US

There is an on-going epidemic across the United States for opioid addiction and overdose.

Overdose fatalities are the leading cause of death in the country for individuals under 50. However, the opioid problem in Hawaii is far less severe than in other states. The opioid-related deaths in Hawaii in 2017 were less than half the national rate, with 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

This may be why Ige felt another step to allow patients access to medical marijuana for opioid addiction wasn't necessary.

What do you think about using marijuana for opioid addicts?

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