Hawaii May Reject Federal Marijuana Drug War Funds

Hawaii is starting to rethink it's policies regarding the eradication of marijuana on the big island. It's a good start to rethink our policies nationwide. As one alert reader noticed that we shouldn't piecemeal our marijuana legislation we need to get far more aggressive in our approach to federal legislative change.

HILO » With Hawaii County Councilman Bob Jacobson calling for an end to the "marijuana war," the Council rejected three federal grants totaling $582,000 for marijuana eradication.

That could mark the end of 30 years of "Green Harvest" eradication efforts by Hawaii County police.

But there was no certainty. A second vote must be taken before the money can be removed from the county's 2007-2008 budget.

And the Council has rejected federal eradication money before, voting against it in 2000 but resuming acceptance in 2001.

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HILO » The Hawaii County Council voted this week to remove $582,000 of federal anti-marijuana money from the county's 2007-2008 budget.

The move could be the end of 30 years of so-called Green Harvest eradication missions, or it could be a signal that the program will survive, but with a major face lift.

"I'm stoked," said marijuana legalization advocate Roger Christie. "It's the beginning of the end of cannabis eradication."

STAR BULLETIN