Cannabis and Gun Ownership

Recent news articles have published the Honolulu Police Chief decision to ask a few selected cannabis patients to voluntarily surrender their guns. This request has since been rescinded. However, this does point up an important item. 

First, the Site of Hawaii has created a system to allow cannabis to be used, produced commercially and sold to legitimate patients as certified by the State of Hawaii Dept. of Health, despite the Federal laws that prohibit such activity. There is no reason that a similar system can't be developed to protect gun ownership rights. There are a number of legal reasons that the various police departments should not discriminate against cannabis patients when it comes to gun ownership. These legal challenges will likely be addressed during the next legislative session. 

I strongly encourage all patients to become active in the political process, so that your rights can be protected. This includes registering and voting in the elections, writing letters to your representatives and members of congress, and following legislation as it moves through the State legislature in support or opposition of those bills that are under consideration. 

Up to now there has been no major challenge to the police departments' policies of prohibiting new gun registration for cannabis patients, and no request to relinquish existing guns. This new development will probably change that in the coming legislative session or two.