Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Department of Health begins implementation of new medicated cannabis amendments
By News Release @ 6:50 PM :: 5001 Views :: Tourism, Drugs

Hawai‘i Department of Health to begin implementation of new medical cannabis amendments

News Release from Hawai‘i Department of Health, July 11, 2018  (With accuracy-inducing comments added in BOLD and in Parenthesis.)

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) will begin to implement new amendments to the state’s existing medical cannabis law to improve access to medical cannabis for qualifying patients. Gov. David Ige signed the amendments into law on July 5, 2018.

“As we implement these amendments, our foremost objective is to provide equitable access to medical cannabis for qualifying patients without compromising patient and product safety as well as public safety,” said Dr. Bruce Anderson, health director. “These new laws benefit both Hawai‘i patients as well as those from other states who are visiting our islands.”

The Department of Health is now working on rules governing the following amendments:

Don’t Have to Bother with Finding a Dope Doctor Every Year

• Currently, all Hawai‘i patients must obtain a written certification from a physician or advance practice registered nurse (APRN) to apply for certification for the medical use of cannabis on an annual basis. Since many patients have debilitating health conditions (laziness, forgetfulness) that are chronic in nature, a new amendment permits DOH to extend the validity of the certification for up to three years with the concurrence of the patient, and the patient’s physician or APRN. The physician/APRN and patient relationship will be maintained to support ongoing patient access to medical cannabis treatment.

Vaping Rules: Weed Good-Tobacco Bad

• Safe pulmonary administration (SPA—medical-sounding word for Vaping) products that function like inhalers or nebulizers have been added to the list of approved merchandise licensed medical cannabis retail dispensaries may sell to qualifying patients. The amendment was based on a finding that SPA devices allow more precise dosage administration and can be more effective for certain patients. SPA devices aerosolize cannabis or manufactured cannabis oils or extracts from pre-filled, sealed containers. The devices are not allowed to contain nicotine, tobacco-related products, or any other non-cannabis derived products.

More THC to get Really Stoned

A corollary amendment noted the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) limit per pack or container of certain manufactured cannabis products may not be sufficient for patients, many of whom may require larger doses of THC, a principal component of cannabis, to relieve their symptoms. In addition to selling the SPA devices, the corresponding amendment increases the THC limit per pack or container of certain manufactured cannabis products.

Tourists Can Buy Weed at Oligopoly Dispensaries Now 

• Patients who are registered for medical cannabis use in other states may be able to benefit from Hawai‘i’s medical cannabis program while visiting the islands, under a new amendment.

Out-of-State Students can Stay Stoned all Semester 

Patients aged 18 or older who are registered in another state for the medical use of cannabis for a qualifying health condition also legally permitted in Hawai‘i, may be able to apply for a registration in our state. DOH will review these applications and may issue Hawai‘i registration cards to these out-of-state qualifying patients. This will permit them to legally purchase and possess approved medical cannabis products sold at licensed dispensaries for a 60-day period. The registration fee will be $45 plus a $4.50 online portal fee. Out-of-state patients will have the option to renew their registration for another 60-day period within 12 months.  (120 days -- Just enough to cover a semester at UH)

Meanwhile: Smoking, vaping banned at University of Hawaii campuses

Dopers can buy dope for their Kids 

• One or both parents/guardians are now allowed to register as caregivers for one or more qualifying minor patients. This can benefit both Hawai‘i and out-of-state minor patients.

Dispensaries Can go Lab-Shopping to Move Moldy Weed

• Currently, all medical cannabis and manufactured medical cannabis products sold at the dispensaries must first be tested for safety by a laboratory certified by DOH. Under a new amendment, a dispensary licensee has the option to retest the same sample or a different sample from the same batch at the same laboratory or a different laboratory, if a sample batch does not meet DOH’s patient safety standards. If a retest at a different laboratory yields a different result, DOH will determine whether the batch should be approved for sale or if further testing is required.

Find Your Dope Doctor on the Internet and do a ‘Consultation’ Online

• Under the current law, a physician or APRN must establish a bona fide relationship with their patients through a face-to-face consultation. This includes a full assessment and review of their medical history and current medical conditions to determine if their condition(s) qualifies them for the medical use of cannabis. The provider must also explain the potential risks and benefits of using medical cannabis to these patients. A new amendment allows this bona fide provider-patient relationship to continue via telehealth, which would be held to the same standards as a face-to-face office visit.

Medicated Dopers Soon to Be Hired as Bus Drivers, Airline Pilots, and Cement Mixers Too!

• Establishment of a working group to address outstanding issues, including employment issues involving an employee who is a registered qualifying patient; allowable substance abuse screening tests for employees whose job requires the employee to not be under the influence of substances (cement mixer drivers); requirements and limitations for the types of allowable edible cannabis products (airline pilots), including restrictions on products such as gummies (tugboat captains), brightly colored candies (bus drivers), or other products with a design likely to appeal to children (teachers); and other issues.

The working group, which will be composed of representatives from various branches of the Department of Health, legislators, qualifying patients, dispensary licensees, and others will review federal requirements and policies and practices in other states and provide a final report with recommendations for the January 2019 legislative session. The working group’s first meeting will be held in August.

# # #

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT