REP FC 307 11/17/1998 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE DATE: November 17, 1998 Re: Cormn. No. 990/Res. No,328-98 PLACE: Councilroom TIME: 10:40 A.M. Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred Res. No.328-98, reports as follows: Res. No. 328-98, transmitted by Finance Director Harry Takahashi, via Communication No. 990, dated September 2, 1998, authorizes the Mayor of the County of Hawaii to enter into an agreement For a Statewide Marijuana Eradication Grant. This grant is to provide funding for expenses to conduct missions for the elimination of controlled substances. Funds have already been appropriated in the Operating Budget. There were numerous testimonies, both verbal and written, from vazious community organizations and individuals. An overview of these opinions follows. Individuals and organizations in support of Res. No. 328-98 testified that the program would, among other things, help to combat violence/crime, substance abuse, and other illegal activities. Because of the great amounts of money involved in the mazijuana trade, violent, criminal activities are closely linked with marijuana cultivation and sales. Booby traps, for instance, are common in marijuana patches. Booby traps have been found on private lands, such as farms and ranches, as well as in public parks. There were many testimonies stating that the use of marijuana by young people, especially adolescents, will lead to the use of hazder drugs ("gateway theory"), especially ice (crystal methamphetamine) cocaine (crack), and heroin. Besides substance abuse problems, a health official stated that smoking marijuana could be more harmful to a person's lung than smoking tobacco. The people against Res. No. 328-98 raised concerns about the legality of the marijuana eradication program, since a mandatory program review, as required by Section 3- l6 of the Hawaii County Charter, has not been performed for prior grant periods. Another concern raised in several testimonies was the use of helicopters in the eradication program. Helicopters hovering over houses at low elevations scares both people and animals and is an invasion of privacy. Moreover, using helicopters to spray herbicides, such as Roundup, especially in azeas that depend on catchment systems for their water needs, is a very dangerous practice. Another azgument states that the marijuana eradication program was a waste of time and money because the use of marijuana was non-habit forming and use of mazijuana by adolescents has increased in spite of the past eradication programs. Some have stated that marijuana has medicinal and spiritual value, besides economic value as hemp for making clothes or ropes. FC REPORT NO. 307