Hawaii lawmakers have moved forward with a significant amendment to their medical cannabis legislation. A pair of Senate committees have approved a bill allowing healthcare providers to recommend marijuana for any debilitating condition they deem “appropriate.” This change marks a departure from the current law, which restricts recommendations to a specific list of ailments.
The medical cannabis measure, known as HB 302 and introduced by Rep. Gregg Takayama (D), received approval from both the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection. It has already passed the full House of Representatives in an earlier form.
The amended bill clarifies that a medical marijuana recommendation no longer needs to come from a doctor who has conducted an “initial in-person consultation” with a patient. One key change to the legislation redefines “debilitating medical condition” to encompass “any condition determined by the certifying physician or advanced practice registered nurse to be appropriate for the medical use of cannabis.” This broader definition aims to provide wider access to patients with conditions that may benefit from medical marijuana, even if those conditions are not explicitly recognized by state officials.
Karen O’Keefe, the director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project, emphasized during her testimony that healthcare providers can prescribe more dangerous medications off-label. She noted that in the U.S., one in every five prescriptions is for conditions other than what the medication was approved for by the Food and Drug Administration. O’Keefe pointed out that at least ten other medical cannabis states allow doctors to recommend cannabis for various serious conditions and urged Hawaii to adopt similar practices.
Hawaii holds the distinction of being the first U.S. state to legalize medical marijuana through legislative action, having passed a law in 2000.
Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D), chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, discussed additional amendments made to the bill before the vote. She mentioned that discussions with dispensaries led to changes in the legislation, including provisions that would allow sales of cannabis products between licensed dispensaries in certain situations. Additionally, the bill would permit dispensary waiting rooms to sell products other than marijuana, such as hemp products and accessories for medical cannabis use.
No committee members opposed the amended proposal during Wednesday’s hearing. The move to grant healthcare providers the authority to recommend medical cannabis for any condition aligns with Governor Josh Green’s plan to broaden access to marijuana, particularly after previous recreational legalization measures failed to pass. Governor Green stated that this approach would make marijuana more accessible while ensuring safety for children, which remains a priority. He also expressed ongoing support for full recreational legalization.
