Hawaii Senate OKs Marijuana Bill

HONOLULU--The state Senate approved a bill Tuesday allowing people
with certain debilitating illnesses, including AIDS and cancer, to
legally smoke marijuana to alleviate pain.

The bill now goes to Gov. Ben Cayetano, who has said he'll sign the
measure into law.

That would make Hawaii the eighth state to approve the medicinal use
of marijuana but the first to do so through legislation instead of a
voter referendum.

Patients who want to smoke marijuana to alleviate pain, combat
chemotherapy treatments and stimulate appetite would require written
certification from a doctor and would have to register annually with
the state public safety department.

The measure, already approved by the House, was approved by the Senate
through a 15 -10 vote.

"This bill will protect from arrest both the patient who might find a
use for marijuana and the doctor who might recommend its use," said
Democratic Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland, the chairwoman of the Health and
Human Services Committee.

Sen. Norman Sakamoto, also a Democrat, opposed the bill, saying,
"We're approving something that the federal government says is illegal."

Alaska, Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Maine and the
District of Columbia have approved laws allowing doctors to recommend
marijuana use by patients suffering from cancer, glaucoma and other
conditions. The Justice Department is challenging those laws.