SUMMARY: Governor Ben Cayetano signed Senate Bill 862 into law on June 14, 2000. The law took effect on December 28, 2000. The law removes state-level criminal penalties on the use, possession and cultivation of marijuana by patients who possess a signed statement from their physician affirming that he or she suffers from a debilitating condition and that the “potential benefits of medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the health risks.” Patients diagnosed with the following illnesses are afforded legal protection under this act: cachexia; cancer; chronic pain; Crohn’s disease; epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures; glaucoma; HIV or AIDS; multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity; and nausea. Other conditions are subject to approval by the Hawaii Department of Health. Patients (or their primary caregivers) may legally possess up to 3 ounces of usable marijuana, and may cultivate no more than seven marijuana plants, of which no more than three may be mature. The law establishes a mandatory, confidential state-run patient registry that issues identification cards to qualifying patients.
The medical use provisions in Hawaii do not include reciprocity provisions protecting visitors from other medical use states.
AMENDMENTS: No, although Hawaii has a separate statute allowing patients arrested on marijuana charges to present a “choice of evils” defense arguing that their use of marijuana is medically necessary.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA STATUTES: Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 329-121 to 329-128 (2008).
CAREGIVERS: Yes. Primary caregiver is a person who has the responsibility for managing the well-being of the qualifying patient with respect to the medical use of marijuana. Primary caregiver is a person other than the qualifying patient, or the patient’s physician. The caregiver must be 18 years of age or older. Qualifying patients shall have only one primary caregiver an any given time. Primary caregiver shall be responsible for the care of only one qualifying patient at any given time. Haw. Rev. Stat. §§329-121; 329-123 (b),(c) (2008).
CONTACT INFORMATION: Administrative rules for Hawaii’s medical marijuana program are available online from the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii website at: http://www.dpfhi.org/
Application information for the Hawaii medical marijuana registry is available by writing or calling:
Hawaii Department of Public Safety
919 Ala Moana Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 594-0150