Lawmakers in Hawaii are working hard to pass House Bill 107 which would decriminalize the possession of marijuana. It would make Hawaii the 23rd state to do so. Possession would be a civil infraction rather than a criminal offense.
Decriminalization of marijuana is seen as a move toward reform of social justice in Hawaii, according to Honolulu Civil Beat. Hawaii’s lawmakers have repeatedly stated that “this is a moment for states to pave the way forward”. The state is seeing that decriminalization can benefit public health.
After a requested study, the Legislative Reference Bureau released data showing that it costs $140 daily to keep people imprisoned or in jail awaiting trial. In 2014, there were nearly 1,200 adult and juvenile marijuana-related arrests in the state. Decriminalization is estimated to save the state more than $165,000 annually.
Seeing the benefit to public health and safety, by not criminally charging adults in possession of small amounts of marijuana, Hawaii appears to be ready to move forward on decriminalization.