Hawaii Legislative Committee Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill

Will Hawaii be the next destination for cannabis-focused travelers?

Hawaii lawmakers have just unanimously approved a bill to advance legislation that would legalize marijuana use for adults 21 years and older.

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According to a report on Marijuana Moment, the Hawaii bill would “allow adults 21 and older possess, cultivate and consume marijuana.”

Additionally, the government would license facilities to manufacture, test and sell cannabis, and sales would be subject to an excise tax and a 15 percent surcharge. Hawaii’s Department of Health would be responsible for regulating retail sales.

The bill will have to make its way through one to two other Senate panels before it makes it to a full Senate vote, according to Marijuana Moment. However, there is optimism for its passage in Hawaii’s Democratic-controlled state legislature.

If it does pass, retails sales could begin in February of 2021.

BREAKING: For the first time, a Hawai'i legislative committee passes a #cannabis #legalization bill. In a unanimous bipartisan vote, SB686 moves on to the next committee. Stay tuned...

— Drug Policy Forum of Hawai`i (@DPFHawaii) February 7, 2019

Other destinations that have legalized marijuana have seen a boost to local economies as well as a surge in cannabis-related tourism.

In Nevada, one year after marijuana was legalized, revenue exceeded projections by as much as 25 percent.

Colorado, which was one of the first places in the country where the sale of marijuana was legal, saw a surge in tourism.

A 2015 study commissioned by the Colorado Tourism Office found that 49 percent of visitors were influenced by the sale of legal weed.

Destinations that make the decision to legalize marijuana boost tourism through weed-focused lodging options, pot tours and other marijuana-inspired activities.

In states where the use of weed is permitted, visitors often feel free to enjoy an activity that they have to hide at home or may not have otherwise tried because it's illegal.