Law enforcement and harm-reduction advocates make opposing cases as Senate panel considers full repeal of paraphernalia statute

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard extensive testimony on SB2418, a proposal to repeal the drug paraphernalia offense under Hawaii's Uniform Controlled Substances Act.

Jared Rodula, deputy director for law enforcement, urged caution. "A complete repeal...we must urge you to use a lot of caution," he said, arguing that retaining paraphernalia offenses gives police authority to seize equipment used in illegal manufacture, such as pill presses, and provides a regulatory baseline.

Public-health witnesses countered that criminalizing safer-use supplies hinders syringe-service programs and contributes to preventable overdose deaths and disease spread. Diana Felton (Department of Health) and speakers from Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center said removing criminal penalties would strengthen syringe access and reduce the risk of HIV and hepatitis transmission. "Paraphernalia laws reduce access to safer use supplies," testified Nikos Leverenz of the Drug Policy Reform of Hawaii.

The hearing included detailed exchanges about which items would remain unlawful under other statutes and whether a full repeal would create public-safety problems. Law enforcement noted concerns about items used to manufacture drugs that are rare outside illicit production, while public-health advocates stressed that possession of syringes and test strips should not carry the threat of criminalization.

Committee leadership deferred SB2418 for further consideration and scheduled a follow-up decision meeting to allow the parties to refine carve-outs and definitions.

What happens next: senators asked staff to consult with law enforcement and public-health stakeholders to identify narrow statutory language that protects syringe-service programs while preserving investigatory tools where needed.