MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

Honolulu: Hawaii is set to become the first state to enact a medical
marijuana law through its legislature, following passage of a Bill
legalising the medical use of the drug in the state senate.

Once the Bill is signed by Governor Ben Cayetano, Hawaii will join seven
other states with similar laws. The laws in those states, however, were the
result of voter ballot initiatives.

The Bill removes state-level penalties for seriously ill people whose
doctors prescribe the use of marijuana to ease pain and allows such patients
to acquire, possess, cultivate, distribute, transport and use marijuana for
medical reasons.