But the Legislature also approved an expungement pilot program for cannabis possession.
A bill to increase the amount of marijuana a person can possess before facing stiff criminal penalties failed 15-9 in the Hawaii Senate on Monday.
It was the second defeat of a measure at the Legislature this session to allow more people to possess pot. A bill to allow recreational use of marijuana for people 21 years and older died earlier this month.
The reasons for shelving Senate Bill 2487, the decriminalization measure, were similar to Senate Bill 3335, the recreational marijuana bill. Opponents said more marijuana would end up in the hands of youth, it would discourage Asian tourists from visiting, it would not stop black market sales and it would lead to more automobile accidents.
Tags: Legislation Marijuana Policy New Drug Trend
