Opinion ID: 1195159
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The original construct

Text: The legislature first adopted the drug trafficking statutes, as presently organized, in conjunction with the promulgation of the Hawai`i Penal Code in 1972. See 1972 Haw. Sess. L. Act 9 [hereinafter, Act 9], §§ 1-3 at 32-142. In their initial form, the sections relating to promoting detrimental drugs by distributionHRS §§ 712-1247 and 712-1248 (Supp.1972)provided in relevant part: § 712-1247 Promoting a detrimental drug in the first degree. (1) A person commits the offense of promoting a detrimental drug in the first degree if he knowingly and unlawfully:[ [8] ] .... (d) Distributes one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances, of an aggregate weight of [one-eighth] ounces or more, containing one or more of the Schedule V substances; or .... (f) Distributes one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures, or substances of an aggregate weight of 2 ounces or more, containing any marijuana; or (g) Distributes any marijuana or any Schedule v. substance in any amount to a minor who is at least three years his junior. (2) Promoting a detrimental drug in the first degree is a class C felony. § 712-1248 Promoting a detrimental drug in the second degree. (1) A person commits the offense of promoting a detrimental drug in the second degree if he knowingly and unlawfully: .... (d) Sells any marijuana or distributes any Schedule v. substance in any amount. (2) Promoting a detrimental drug in the second degree is a misdemeanor. Act 9, § 1 at 136 (emphases added). Thus, with one notable exception, the foregoing statutory scheme governing detrimental drugs, as originally enacted, exhibited the same patterns regarding distribution discussed supra in section III.Bas did the statutes governing dangerous and harmful drugs. First, consonant with the legislative policy that the severest penalties should be applied to person[s] who distribute[] to a minor who is at least three years [their] junior, see Hse. Conf. Comm. Rep. No. 1, in 1972 House Journal, at 1040; Sen. Conf. Comm. Rep. No. 1-72, in 1972 Senate Journal, at 739, section 1247(1)(g) made it a first degree offense to [d]istribute[] any marijuana or any Schedule V substance in any amount to a minor who is at least three years [the defendant's] junior. In this respect, section 1247(1)(g) mirrored section 1241(1)(c) regarding dangerous drugs and section 1244(1)(e) regarding harmful drugs. See Act 9, § 1 at 134-35. Second, sections 1247(1)(d) and (f) made it a first degree offense to distribute retail amounts of Schedule V substances and marijuana ( i.e., detrimental drugs, see HRS § 712-1240, supra note 1), respectively, whereas section 1248(1)(d) made it a second degree offense to distribute any Schedule V substance in any amount. In this respect, these sections mirrored sections 1241(1)(b)(ii) and 1242(1)(c) regarding dangerous drugs and sections 1244(1)(d) and 1245(1)(c) regarding harmful drugs. See Act 9, § 1 at 134-35. The aforementioned notable exception is the portion of section 1248(1)(d) that made it a second degree offense to  sell [] any marijuana ... in any amount. (Emphasis added.) In that respect, HRS § 712-1248(1)(d) (1972) was the only section within the original statutory scheme governing the promotion of dangerous, harmful, and detrimental drugs to single out saleas it pertained to marijuanaas the sole culpable form of distribution. See HRS § 712-1240, supra note 1. Such being the case, if a person distributed marijuana to an adult in an amount less than two ounces, see HRS § 712-1247(1)(f), but the mode of distribution was not by selling, then it was not criminally proscribed distribution of a detrimental drug. The legislature's original intent in limiting the prohibited distribution of small quantities of marijuana to sales is explained by the contemporaneous legislative history, as reflected in the report of the legislative conference committee that hammered out the new Hawai`i Penal Code: One area on which the Committee spent a considerable period of study was the disposition of marijuana. Your Committee finds the present sanctions in Hawaii are inconsistent with the philosophy of this Code to penalize according to the degree of social harm. Your Committee finds there is good reason to moderate present punitive statutes so that penalties are more in keeping with what is now known about the potential for abuse and social harm involved. Hse. Conf. Comm. Rep. No. 1, in 1972 House Journal, at 1040; Sen. Conf. Comm. Rep. No. 1-72, in 1972 Senate Journal, at 739. In any event, it is apparent that, as originally enacted in 1972, HRS §§ 712-1247 and -1248 created no Modica problem as they pertained to the distribution of marijuana, by sale or otherwise. Either the distribution of 2 ounces or more of marijuana to anyone or of any amount to a minor (who was at least three years younger than the defendant) gave rise to the felony offense, while the misdemeanor offense could only be committed by the sale of marijuana in any amount to an adult. Other than the fact that the offense of selling marijuana in any amount to an adult was obviously included in the offense of distributing two ounces or more of marijuana to anyone, within the meaning of HRS §§ 701-109(1)(a) and (4) (1993), see e.g., State v. Wallace, 80 Hawai`i 382, 415 & nn. 32-33, 910 P.2d 695, 728 & nn. 32-33 (1996), the twain simply did not meet.