TIER I
Legalization & Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis. DPFH is a member of the Hawaiʻi Alliance for Cannabis Reform, which seeks to end cannabis prohibition for adults 21 and older, regulate and tax the sale of cannabis in Hawai‘i with a focus on reparative justice and inclusion for communities and individuals most impacted by criminalization, and support patients in Hawaii’s medical cannabis program. DPFH strongly supports legal protections for medical cannabis patients, including employment and the removal of cannabis from the federal and state Controlled Substances Act.
Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform. Civil asset forfeiture is a government incursion on private property that places an undue burden on individuals to prove that their property wasn’t involved in or the product of criminal activity. Currently, no conviction is required before property is permanently forfeited. Hawaiʻi is one of the few states that has failed to reform its civil asset forfeiture system. Hawaiʻi scores a “D” on the national scorecard, has a record of misappropriated forfeiture proceeds, and inadequate reporting on property seized and forfeited on a case-by-case basis.
Advancing Statutory & Policy Changes Centering Harm Reduction, Public Health, & Human Rights. DPFH strongly supports more funding and continuous improvement of harm reduction programs, including syringe access. Drug-checking equipment and services should be decriminalized and made more publicly available. In alignment with the American Public Health Association and the Global Commission on Drug Policy, among others, DPFH opposes the continued criminalization of drug possession for personal use. At a minimum, unusable traces and residue be completely decriminalized. DPFH supports the full repeal of the state’s drug paraphernalia law, which serves as a gateway into the criminal legal system. With the longest average term of probation in the nation, baseline terms should be limited, and practices should be revised to facilitate successful completion.
Increased Capacity & Funding for Community-Based Behavioral Health Treatment & Promotion of Alternative Crisis Responses. DPFH strongly supports increased capacity and funding for non-coercive, community-based treatment for those experiencing problems related to mental health and substance use concerns, including outpatient treatment. DPFH supports state-funded behavioral health crisis centers and alternative responder mechanisms that utilize professional medical and social workers when a person is experiencing an acute mental health episode.
Access to Breakthrough Therapies for Mental Health Treatment. DPFH supports statutory and policy changes so that persons experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, and other mental health challenges can safely access psilocybin and other psychoactive substances for therapeutic purposes.
TIER II
Greater Equity, Transparency, Accountability, & Human Rights in Hawaii’s Criminal Legal System.
DPFH supports independent oversight of Hawaii’s carceral facilities, including that provided by the Correctional System Oversight Commission. State and local law enforcement and county prosecutors should be required to routinely collect and report key data regarding its practices to better inform internal management and oversight from policymakers and the public. Pre-trial release practices should be modified to substantially limit or eliminate the use of cash bail. County prosecutors and the state judiciary should train its staff in behavioral health, social determinants of health, and structural stigma, and endeavor to adopt practices that move toward a more equitable public health approach to drug policy to reduce incarceration and criminal legal supervision. DPFH supports restrictions on the use of solitary confinement in the state’s carceral facilities and compassionate release for prisoners who have chronic health conditions better tended to in community settings, are elderly, or have served significant portions of their terms. DPFH supports a re-calibration of the state’s sentencing structure to include greater discretion for judges, limitations on the role of the Hawaiʻi Paroling Authority, and the use of credits for “good time” served and participation in programming. Probation and parole practices should also be amended to reduce incarceration and facilitate re-integration.
No State Funding for New Carceral Facilities Absent Prior Significant Statutory & Policy Changes. With the understanding that conditions in Hawaiʻi jails and prisons must be substantially improved, DPFH opposes funding for new carceral facilities without changes to sentencing laws, reform of probation and parole practices, and overall management of carceral facilities, including health care.
Good Samaritan Law Preservation. DPFH strongly opposes efforts to undermine Hawaii’s legal protections for those aiding individuals experiencing accidental overdoses and other medical problems related to drug use. This includes drug-induced homicide laws like those offered by consecutive administrations that would have criminalized loved ones and friends.
Advancing Science-Based Education & Prevention for Alcohol & Other Drugs. DPFH strongly supports the implementation of science-based public education regarding the individual health impacts of using alcohol and other drugs, including life skills-based approaches in schools. DPFH also supports statewide funding for prevention programs like after-school programs and activities in every county to facilitate constructive engagement of students in activities that promote community health and well-being.
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