hawaii medical cannabis Archives

Hawaii’s First Medical Cannabis Dispensary Now Open

August 8, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

17 years after Hawaii legalized medical cannabis, the legal sale of the medicine through a state-sanctioned dispensary has finally begun.

Maui Grown Therapies (44 Paa Street, Kahului) officially opened their doors today after receiving approval from the Department of Health to begin operations. According to Teri Freitas Gorman, director of community relations and patient affairs for the dispensary, they have been pre-registering patients and are currently accepting people only by appointments, though walk-in says are expected to start as soon as next week.

“Clearly this is a historic day not just for Maui but for the state of Hawaii,” says Freitas Gorman. “This is the first time in Hawaii that patients will be able to buy lab-tested, quality-assured medical cannabis from a state-licensed dispensary. We’re so excited.”

Hawaii Bill to Make State Refer to “Medical Marijuana” as “Medical Cannabis” Passes Two House Committees Unanimously

April 4, 2017April 4, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Two House committee in Hawaii have unanimously passed a bill to change the way the state refers to “medical marijuana”.

[Update: According to Senator Mike Gabbard the measure has now been passed unanimously by the full House of Representatives.]

Senate Bill 786 has been passed by both the House Health Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, both unanimously. The measure, filed by Senator Mike Gabbard (D), has already been passed by the Senate with a 25 to 0 vote. It will soon be up for a vote in the full House of Representatives.

Senate Bill 786 would amend “Hawaii Revised Statutes and Hawaii Administrative Rules to substitute references to “medical marijuana” and like terms with “medical cannabis” and like terms”, and “Requires the department of health to make all conforming revisions to documents, letterhead, websites, and other necessary items by December 31, 2019.”

Hawaii: Proposal to Expand Medical Marijuana Law Passed by Two Senate Committees on Same Day

March 30, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Legislation that would expand Hawaii’s medical marijuana law was passed by two Senate committees today, sending it towards a vote by the full Senate.

House Bill 1488 was passed unanimously today by both the Senate Judicial Law Committee, and the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The votes come roughly a week after the measure – which has already passed the House of Representatives – was approved by the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health Committee.

House Bill 1488 would amend the definition of adequate supply of marijuana to include seven marijuana seedlings, and would “amend the definition of “debilitating medical condition” to include lupus, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and autism as conditions that qualify for the legal use of medical marijuana.”

Hawaii Bill to Expand Medical Cannabis Law Passes Senate Committee, Already Passed House

March 24, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Legislation to expand Hawaii’s medical cannabis program has been passed by its initial Senate committee; it’s already passed the full House of Representatives.

House Bill 1488 was reported out of the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health Committee today. Earlier this month it passed the full House of Representatives.

The proposed law would amend “the definition of “adequate supply” of marijuana to include seven marijuana seedlings”, and would amend “the definition of “debilitating medical condition” to include lupus, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and autism as conditions that qualify for the legal use of medical marijuana.”

Hawaii Bill Adding Five New Medical Cannabis Conditions Passes House Committee

March 22, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

The Hawaii House Health Committee has passed a measure that wold expand the state’s medical cannabis program. They also unanimously passed a bill to change state law to refer to “medical marijuana” as “medical cannabis”.

Senate Bill 174, which has already passed the Senate with a unanimous 25 to 0 vote, passed the House Health Committee yesterday; the vote was 4 to 2. The proposal would add lupus, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and autism as conditions that qualify someone to become a legal medical cannabis patient.

Currently medical cannabis use in Hawaii is limited to those with cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS or a “chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces” cachexia, severe pain or nausea, seizures, sever muscle spasms or post traumatic stress disorder.

Hawaii Bill to Rename “Medical Marijuana” to Medical Cannabis” Passes Senate Unanimously

March 13, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

Hawaii’s Senate has unanimously passed a bill to legally change how the state refers to “medical marijuana”.

Senate Bill 786 – filed by Senator Mike Gabbard (D) – would revise Hawaii’s laws and administrative rules to no longer refer to “medical marijuana”, but to instead call it “medical cannabis”. It passed the Senate with a 25 to 0 vote.

According to the bill’s official text, the change is necessary because “Marijuana” has no scientific basis but carries prejudicial implications rooted in racial stereotypes”. The measure notes that “cannabis”, on the other hand, carries with it “no such negative connotations.”

Hawaii Senate Votes Unanimously to Allow Medical Cannabis for Lupus, Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritis and Autism

March 7, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

A Hawaii measure that would expand the list of qualifying medical cannabis conditions has been passed by the state’s full Senate.

Senate Bill 174 was passed today with a unanimous 25 to 0 vote. It now goes to the House of Representatives, where its passage will send it to Governor David Ige for consideration.

If passed into law, the proposal would allow those with lupus, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and autism to become registered medical cannabis patients, allowing them to possess, purchase (from a licensed dispensary) and use cannabis and cannabis products for medical use.

Hawaii Governor Signs Bill Allowing Nurses to Recommend Medical Cannabis

July 11, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

Nurses can now certify patients to use medical cannabis, thanks to legislation signed into law today by Governor David Ige.

Under the new law – which takes effect immediately – nurses in the state can recommend medical cannabis to people, allowing them to become registered with the state as legal medical cannabis patients, the same as physicians. Advocates of the change say it’s necessary as there aren’t enough doctors willing to certify patients.

Woody Harrelson and Tetris Producer Henk Rogers Apply for Dispensary Licenses in Hawaii

February 6, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

Actor Woody Harrelson (Cheers, Zombieland) is one of 66 applicants attempting to receive a license from the Hawaii Department of Health to legally operate medical cannabis cultivation centers and dispensaries in the state. Henk Rogers, famous for distributing the video game Tetris as founder of The Tetris Company, is also one of the applicants.

In Hawaii, thanks to a law passed last year, medical cannabis dispensaries and cultivation centers are legal, with eight licenses to be distributed by the state. Each license will allow for the opening of two cultivation centers and two dispensaries, equaling 16 each across the state (six in Oahu, four on Hawaii Island, four on Maui and two on Kauai).

Hawaii Governor Signs Bill Legalizing Medical Cannabis Dispensaries

July 16, 2015July 16, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Hawaii Governor David Ige has signed House Bill 321 into law, legalizing medical cannabis dispensaries throughout the state. The measure was signed on Tuesday, and went into effect on Wednesday.

The proposal, which was approved 24 to 0 in the Senate, and 38 to 13 in the House of Representatives, legalizes the distribution of medical cannabis through state-licensed dispensaries, which will be supplied by licensed cultivation centers.