MAYBE IF OUR DOGS NEEDED IT

MAYBE IF OUR DOGS NEEDED IT: It’s nice to see that the local newspaper is putting their time-money where their print-mouth is in pushing the administration to promptly comment on the current Green Harvest helicopter operations after the coconut wireless brought the annoying and absurd disturbance to their attention yesterday

After an editorial this Sunday dealing with the brain-dead few who still oppose marijuana reform, especially for the sick, who would expect anything less?

The irony of the coincidental start of both the expensive expedition and yesterday’s state senate hearings on reforming the medical cannabis provisions- which uniquely administer the law through the Department of Public Safety rather than the Department of Health and don’t afford provision or distribution of people’s medicine- isn’t lost on anyone.

After all much of the western US, where medical marijuana laws have been on the books for years, are rapidly moving to regulate and even tax their ubiquitous distribution centers.

It’s about time for the legislature to act this year to remove all the Catch-22’s from our state’s laws by making it legal to obtain a legal medication. putting regulation of a health- related matter in a health-related department and removing control of a legal-to–possess substance from the control of those who deal with illegalities.

A between-the-lines reader of today’s newspaper report might think that it’s up to the Kaua`i and Maui Police Departments as to whether they will participate in the eradication program- a notion that belies the experience of those on the Big Island.

On Hawai`i Island after years of debate their county council has refused to take the federal money that enables Green Harvest and has in fact commanded their PD to give enforcement of all pot-prohibition laws the “lowest priority”.

Yet the Kaua`i County Council continues to accept the funding year after year without debate much less testimony from the public.

As we did last time, we’ll let the our readers know the next time it comes up on the council’s agenda. Maybe this time people will speak up and bring Kaua`i into the 21st century.