HONOLULU Possession of small amounts of drugs that are considered dangerous would be decriminalized in Hawaii under a proposed bill, potentially reducing the amount of money spent on enforcement.
HONOLULU — Possession of small amounts of drugs that are considered dangerous would be decriminalized in Hawaii under a proposed bill, potentially reducing the amount of money spent on enforcement.
The proposed legislation would make it a misdemeanor instead of a felony offense to possess less than 2 grams of dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, morphine and cocaine.
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Friday, Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. Following the hearing, the bill was amended to increase the amount of drugs from one-sixteenth of an ounce to 2 grams.
“Enforcement of the offense of promotion of a dangerous drug in the third-degree costs state taxpayers over $13 million each year to incarcerate low-level, non-violent offenders. Hawaii’s experience corroborates mounting national data demonstrating that incarceration has no effect on rates of drug use or overdose deaths, but actually increases recidivism among those at low risk to reoffend,” according to the bill.
The bill also notes that money used in response to non-violent drug possession can be reinvested in other proven treatment methods to improve public health and safety.
Acting Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Nadamoto testified in person against the bill arguing that drug defendants are offered multiple opportunities and programs to avoid criminal convictions, including probation even before going to prison.
Hawaii County Deputy Police Chief Kenneth Bugado Jr. wrote to the committee that methamphetamine, cocaine, morphine and heroin are highly addictive and “often directly responsible for thefts, robberies, and assaults on members of our community.”
Since 2014, California, Utah, Connecticut, Alaska and Oklahoma have decriminalized possession of certain drugs from felonies to misdemeanor offenses.
I ran across this article written by Scott Sumner concerning Portugal’s approach to drug enforcement and thought it might interest readers of this article.
” Decades ago, the United States and Portugal both struggled with illicit drugs and took decisive action – in diametrically opposite directions. The US cracked down vigorously, spending billions of dollars incarcerating drug users. In contrast, Portugal undertook a monumental experiment: it decriminalised the use of all drugs in 2001, even heroin and cocaine, and unleashed a major public health campaign to tackle addiction. Ever since, in Portugal, drug addiction has been treated more as a medical challenge than as a criminal justice issue.
After more than 15 years, it’s clear which approach worked better. The US drug policy has failed spectacularly, with about as many Americans dying last year of overdoses – around 64,000 – as were killed in the Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq Wars combined.
In contrast, Portugal may be winning the war on drugs – by ending it. Today, the Health Ministry estimates that only about 25,000 Portuguese use heroin, down from 100,000 when the policy began.
The number of Portuguese dying from overdoses plunged more than 85 per cent, before rising a bit in the aftermath of the European economic crisis of recent years. Even so, Portugal’s drug mortality rate is the lowest in Western Europe – one-tenth the rate of Britain or Denmark – and about one-fiftieth of the latest number in the US. . . .
It’s not a miracle or perfect solution. But if the US could achieve Portugal’s death rate from drugs, they would save one life every 10 minutes. They would save almost as many lives as are now lost to guns and car accidents combined.”
We are on the way to becoming like SF. Drug addicts able to shoot Up Drugs on the Streets! Before long we’ll need a Poop Patrol just like SanFrancisco! Don’t you just love our Mindless Politician’s? Isn’t Ca also the state where you will not be arrested for stealing anything worth Under $950.00? This is only the beginning of our Demise!