2014 begins with peace and quiet

Although illegal aerials continue to be a problem in some Oahu neighborhoods, New Year’s revelry was generally mild, provoking fewer 911 calls than the year before. That’s more evidence in support of the ban on consumer fireworks that took effect on Oahu in 2011.

Even longtime residents are learning to live with less raucous celebrations that are more suited to the island’s crowded urban and suburban environments — truly an auspicious start to 2014.

Lobbyists cheer legal marijuana

Jan. 1, the sale of recreational marijuana begins in Colorado. By Jan. 2, advocates for the legalization of pot are beating the drum in Hawaii, still weeks ahead of the Legislature convening.

Both the Rocky Mountain State and the state of Washington legalized the sale of small amounts of marijuana for personal recreational use during the 2012 election, but Washington’s pot stores won’t open for business until later this year.

The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and other advocates are gearing up for a renewed push for retail sales here as well, arguing that although medical marijuana is legal here, there is no legal way to get it in a commercial setting.

"Hopefully, Colorado signals a shift in attitudes about marijuana that will lead to a more just and more reasonable system in Hawaii," the forum opined on its website.