Maui Wowwi…What happened at this Council Meeting?

In Maui County, there was a council meeting held on September 4th about smoking in public as well as industrial hemp farming. There were many things that on the meeting agenda, but two were eye-opening: the first titled “URGING CONGRESS TO PASS THE INDUSTRIAL HEMP FARMING ACT OF 2015.” Although there is no authorization to let people cultivate hemp in Maui County for industrial uses (textiles, plastic, vitamins, etc.), the resolution would call sheerly on the U.S. Congress to alter the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 so that industrial hemp would no longer all under the same category as marijuana, which makes it a Schedule I drug, and in most cases, illegal. The resolution is quite possible, as well.

“Your Committee [Economic Development, Energy, Agriculture and Recreation] notes the legislation has been introduced as Senate Bill 134 (2015) by Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon and House Bill 525 (2015) by Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, respectively,” states a committee report on hemp resolution “There are nine bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who represents the people of Maui County, is among 60 bipartisan cosponsors in the House of Representatives.”

The second item on the agenda regards the Council filing a committee report on Councilman Mike Victorino’s bill that would not allow smoking and vaping at bus stops. Smoking already isn’t allowed “on or at buses, airports, taxi cabs and ticket, boarding, and waiting areas of public transit depots.”

It is a possibility that bus stops may be deemed under the “public transit depot” section; According to the committee report, no-smoking bus stop signs would take the county over a month to make and cost about $10,000. Furthermore, Victorino’s bill includes a “$25 to $50″ fine for those who smoke at bus stops.