Hawaii’s Senate has voted against a proposal that would have increased the amount of cannabis a person can legally possess. The bill aimed to raise the limit from 3 grams to 15 grams—five times the current legal threshold. Despite arguments in favor of the measure, lawmakers ultimately decided not to move forward with the change, KHON2 reports.
Criticism of the Current Possession Limit
During testimony on the proposal, public defender David Pullman criticized Hawaii’s existing cannabis possession limit, calling it “ridiculously small.” He pointed out that a standard purchase amount for consumers is an eighth of an ounce (3.5 grams), which already exceeds the state’s current decriminalization threshold.
“The common amount that people buy is called an eighth—3.5 grams,” Pullman explained. “So the minute someone buys the most common amount, they’re already over the decriminalization limit. They’re already committing a crime.”
He further argued that increasing the limit would reduce unnecessary arrests and incarcerations.
“Those prison cells are limited,” he testified. “That’s a cell where someone who is committing violent crime could be, and instead, we’re holding someone who got caught with THC in their urine.”
Ongoing Cannabis Legalization Efforts in Hawaii
While the Senate rejected the possession limit increase, efforts to reform cannabis laws in Hawaii are ongoing. Earlier this month, two House committees approved an adult-use cannabis legalization measure. The bill, which remains under review in the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee and the House Agriculture and Food Systems Committee, would allow adults 21 and older to:
- Possess up to one ounce of cannabis in public
- Store up to 10 ounces at home
If passed, the bill would mark a significant step toward full legalization in the state. Lawmakers are still debating the specifics, including regulations for retail sales and taxation.
The Future of Cannabis Policy in Hawaii
Despite ongoing resistance from some lawmakers, the movement for cannabis reform in Hawaii continues to gain traction. The rejection of the possession limit increase highlights the challenges of incremental policy changes, but the broader push for adult-use legalization suggests that significant shifts may still be on the horizon.
