Six Cannabis Bills Scheduled for Public Hearing Saturday in Hawaii

Six Cannabis Bills Scheduled for Public Hearing Saturday in Hawaii

Hawaii’s House Committee on Health and Committee on Judiciary will be holding a joint public hearing this Saturday, February 7th at 10AM (conference room 329 at the state capitol, 415 South Beretania Street). During the hearing, six different cannabis-related proposals will be discussed, including one to legalize medical cannabis dispensaries and one to prohibit employers from firing medical cannabis patients for testing positive for cannabis in a drug test.

House Bill 321 would legalize medical cannabis safe access points and would establish a system for dispensaries and production centers. If approved, the proposal would mark the first time Hawaii has allowed dispensaries despite the fact that medical cannabis has been legal in the state since 2000.

House Bill 1455 would allow patients to transfer cannabis to other patients and caregivers, and would increase the amount of cannabis a patient can possess from four to eight, and the amount they can cultivate from seven to sixteen. The bill would also increase the amount of patients a caregiver can be responsible for from one to five.

House Bill 794 would alter the state’s medical cannabis law so that a physician may recommend cannabis for any condition they deem it may be beneficial for.

House Bill 788 would explicitly allow the cultivation of medical cannabis, so long as the individual registers with the Department of Health. The measure would also prohibit the infusion of trademarked products with cannabis.

House Bill 795 would prohibit an employer from “disciplining, suspending, discharging, or discriminating against an employee who is a patient qualified to use medical marijuana solely because the employee tested positive for marijuana use.”

Finally, House Bill 993 would clarify that a primary care, or a specialist physician can recommend medical cannabis.

Information on how to make a testimony on any or all of these measures – which can be done in-person, by phone, through e-mail or through fax – can be found by clicking here.

– TheJointBlog