Hawaii representatives mull legalizing marijuana

A proposal to legalize marijuana in Hawaii is facing its first hurdle as the House judiciary committee decides whether to move the bill forward.

Lawmakers heard more than three hours of testimony about the measure last week but decided to postpone their decision until Thursday.

Numerous community members want to legalize the drug.

They say it’s a matter of personal liberty. They say legalizing marijuana would help Hawaii’s economy and allow law enforcement to focus resources on more important matters.

Law enforcement officials say they strongly oppose the bill.

They say they aren’t wasting resources on marijuana now and that legalization would lead to higher crime rates.

They’re also worried that legalization would pit the state against federal law regulating marijuana.