Certain issues seem to come before Hawaiʻi's Legislature each session. One is the legalization of marijuana, with strong views on both sides. But in Hawaiʻi, there's one perspective that sets it apart.
A unique concern for Hawaiʻi emerged in the debate over legalizing marijuana for recreational use — which is the potential impact on Japanese tourism.
According to Hawaiʻi Tourism Japan, many people there view cannabis as equivalent to such illicit drugs as methamphetamine, heroin or cocaine.
Mitsue Varley, the director of Hawaiʻi Tourism Japan, said innocent visitors who don't know the rules might accidentally bring something home to Japan and end up getting arrested, which really scares people.
Hawaiʻi legalized medical marijuana 25 years ago, and it's been available for sale to customers with a medical card in dispensaries around the state since 2017.
A House bill this year would have legalized it for use without a medical card, but it failed to make it out of committee. Even so, the idea of legalizing cannabis for recreational use has sparked intense debate.
Supporters say that Hawaiʻi is missing out on an untapped market to attract other visitors and increase revenue with cannabis tourism.
Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi President Tina Yamaki said the risk of potential declines in Japanese tourism, which has yet to fully recover from COVID declines, far outweighs any projected benefits.
There are already shops around Waikīkī that sell cannabis with lower, legal levels of the psychoactive compound THC found in marijuana.
One owner said he's had Japanese tourists specifically come to Hawaiʻi to use the cannabis he sells. Because of that, he said Hawaiʻi is sleeping on a gold mine.
