The Hawaii Senate on Monday rejected a bill to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, Maui Now reports. In a statement, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaiʻi Board President Nikos Leverenz called the bill’s failure a “disappointment.” 

“While Hawaiʻi saw an uptick in legislative activity on cannabis decriminalization and adult-use cannabis legalization, the status quo remains. Too many legislators this cycle have ceded to the histrionic arguments by many in the criminal legal lobby and others who want to ensure broad prohibition. Fifty-eight percent of Hawaiʻi residents support adult-use legalization, which now reaches over half of the population of America and employs over 440,000 across the nation. Decriminalization of cannabis possession and cannabis paraphernalia remains an important reform in its own right.” — Leverenz in a statement via Maui Now 

Several lawmakers and the Department of the Attorney General expressed concerns that passing the reforms would create a stronger illicit market in the state.  

Sen. Troy Hashimoto (D) told Maui Now that he “would rather have a structure to tax and regulate marijuana rather than pursuing decriminalization,” which he said “would allow an unchecked market and potentially unsafe products to exist within our community.” 

In submitted testimony opposing the legislation, the Department of the Attorney General maintained that “decriminalized marijuana is unregulated, untested, and untaxed.” 

“This lack of regulation and testing creates a significant public health concern, particularly as marijuana use increases,” the department said in the testimony. “Black market marijuana often contains pesticides, trace amounts of metals like lead and nickel, and other toxic chemicals. Regulated marijuana can be tested for these poisons, to increase the chances that the marijuana consumed by recreational users is relatively safe. Because there are no restrictions on the levels of pesticides and other toxins in black market marijuana, consumers risk inhaling or ingesting harmful substances.” 

Earlier this month an effort to legalize adult cannabis use in the state was killed by the House Finance Committee. The legislation had been approved by the Senate. 

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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The state has confirmed an additional case of pertussis — or whooping cough — on Hawaii Island amid an outbreak that has so far sickened 11 since March.

Several of the recent cases have been in infants too young to be fully vaccinated.

Officials said the cases indicate “community spread” of pertussis on Hawaii Island.

Because of that, the state Health Department is strongly recommending that parents stay up to date on children’s vaccinations, especially for infants and young children.

Pertussis vaccination can usually be obtained from a primary care provider. Calling ahead to confirm pertussis vaccine availability is recommended. Those who do not have a primary care provider can contact their health plan or can contact a federally qualified health center if they do not have health insurance.

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by bacteria.

It can cause severe coughing fits, followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound when breathing in.

Vomiting and exhaustion may also follow. Pertussis can lead to serious complications, especially in infants.

For more information about pertussis, visit the CDC website.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

Actress Sydney Sweeney’s starpower has been steadily growing over the past few years, partly thanks to her performance in Euphoria (which can be streamed with a Max subscription). While she’s been hard at work for years, the 26 year-old actress has been treating herself to a much-needed vacation. Sweeney’s summer continues as she rocked a black bikini while “hanging in Hawaii”… literally.

During her recent trip, Sweeney went full on Pirate while on a boat with friends… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. She’s also been kiteboarding, once again showing what an athlete the Handmaid’s Tale alum is. Most recently, Sweeney posted on Instagram posing in a bikini in Hawaii. Check it out below: 

Well, that’s one way to pose on a car. Just like her character Spider-Woman in Madame Web, it looks like Sweeney is comfortable hanging upside down. Although this time she’s doing it for pleasure, rather than working on a film set. 

Considering how many movie projects she’s put out in quick succession, the Euphoria fan favorite had definitely earned some time off this summer. Most recently she made headlines after a Hollywood producer claimed Sydney couldn’t act. Luckily her fans seem to have rallied around the actress, who has surely proven herself acting talent in projects like Sharp Objects. 

In addition to her acting talents, Sydney Sweeney has also become a bit of a style icon, thanks to her stunning looks on the red carpet. That includes Sweeney rocking trends like the sheer dress and more. And as a result, she’s got nearly 20 million followers on Instagram. 

Of course, there are plenty of fans who are more concerned with what acting projects she’ll appear in, rather than her fabulous vacation pictures. Particularly, folks are wondering about Euphoria Season 3, which was unfortunately been delayed due to writing issues. Fans of that acclaimed series are worried that it may never actually return to Emmy, despite Zendaya winning the Emmy for it.

After the wild success of her romantic comedy Anyone But You, there’s rumors that she may be working on a sequel with co-star Glen Powell. Leading up to the movie’s release, there were rumors about Sweeney and Powell being involved romantically, which they both denied. And now that the rom-com is streaming on Netflix, the calls for a follow-up might be even louder.

Another recent Sweeney movie that made headlines is Madame Web, which she starred in opposite Dakota Johnson. Unfortunately it was a box office bomb, despite being viral online. Still, there are moviegoers who want to see Sweeney back as Spider-Woman in another movie. We’ll just have to wait and see if this happens, especially since she’s got MMA training that could make her into a badass hero. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates.