Lawmakers find talking about legalizing recreational weed and doing it are very different things

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Plans to legalize recreational marijuana are moving forward in the state Legislature.

But even with the governor’s support, there are challenging speed bumps, including conflicts among those who already grow and sell cannabis for medical reasons.

One of the advocates is the owner of Care Waialua, Jason Hanley, who rents greenhouse plots to medical marijuana patients and caregivers. He has room for up to 10,000 plants.

Hanley said he’s concerned that lawmakers are rushing to legalize so quickly that big dispensaries will have the first chance to sell recreational marijuana.

“You shut all the local people out and you only allow large corporations or dispensaries right now which is only eight of them to monopolize the market,” Hanley said.

“You have to have good regulations in place you have to have size restrictions for businesses so they can’t take over the whole industry.”

Hanley and other advocates said medical marijuana cardholders and others who have been small-time growers should be able to sell recreational cannabis, too.

Dispensary executives have said they don’t oppose “legacy” growers, but want the regulations in place on all retailers at once so that illicit operators in the black market don’t have a chance to fill a regulatory vacuum. [Read More @ HawaiiNewsNow]