Hawaii Medical Marijuana Caregiver Information

What Is a Medical Marijuana Caregiver in Hawaii?

A medical marijuana caregiver in Hawaii is an individual aged 18 or older who has agreed to undertake the duty of managing the well-being of a qualifying patient with respect to medical marijuana use. Caregivers may be designated by minors and patients too ill to obtain and administer medical marijuana for themselves. For minors, caregivers are usually parents, legal guardians, or other persons with legal custody over the patients.

A caregiver under the Hawaii medical cannabis patient registry program may possess, grow, transport, and administer medical marijuana on behalf of a qualified medical marijuana patient. However, medical marijuana may not be transported between islands by the caregiver. In accordance with Section 329-123 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, a medical marijuana caregiver may only care for one qualified medical marijuana patient per time except where the patient is a minor. In such an instance, a minor patient can designate up to two caregivers, provided both caregivers are the parents, legal guardians, or other persons with legal custody of the minor patient.

How to Become a Medical Marijuana Caregiver in Hawaii

In order to qualify to serve as a medical marijuana caregiver in Hawaii, you must:

• Be aged 18 or older
• Live in Hawaii
• Consent to be responsible for the well-being of a qualified medical marijuana patient
• Currently not responsible for the well-being of any other patient under the medical cannabis patient registry program
• Be a parent, guardian, or another person with legal custody, if the patient is under the age of 18 or is an adult lacking legal capacity

In Hawaii, caregivers are not required to apply separately from the patients cared for. Instead, patients must designate their caregivers on the applications submitted to the Hawaii Department of Health. A caregiver must provide a State of Hawaii-issued driver's license or identification card and complete the caregiver certification form. The patient will submit the certification form when completing registration on the Hawaii medical marijuana patient registration portal.

For more information on obtaining caregiver identification cards in Hawaii, contact the state's medical cannabis program via email at medicalcannabis@doh.hawaii.gov or by calling (808) 733-2177.

How to Find a Medical Marijuana Caregiver in Hawaii

The State of Hawaii does not assign medical marijuana caregivers to qualified patients under its medical cannabis patient registry program. Qualifying patients must find persons deemed eligible by the state's Department of Health to consent to assist them in purchasing, growing, and administering medical marijuana. The state does not maintain a registry of eligible caregivers.

How Much Marijuana Can a Caregiver Have in Hawaii?

Caregivers who have completed their registrations with the Hawaii Department of Health can purchase up to 4 ounces of medical marijuana during any 15-day period and a maximum of 8 ounces of usable marijuana over a 30-day period. It is illegal to possess medical marijuana on any federally owned property in Hawaii, such as national parks and military installations. When transporting medical cannabis within Hawaii, it must remain in a sealed container, not visible to the public.

How Many Marijuana Plants Can a Caregiver Have in Hawaii?

A medical marijuana caregiver may grow up to 10 marijuana plants on behalf of the associated patient. However, for marijuana growing to be approved for a caregiver, the patient must make the intention to grow marijuana known on the application submitted to the Department of Health. The grow site must also be stated on the application. Note that marijuana may only be grown at the residence of the patient being supported, the home of the caregiver, or any other site owned or controlled by either patient or caregiver.

Hawaii regulations require that all of a patient's cultivated plants be in a single location and tagged with the registered patient's medical marijuana card number and its expiration date. From December 31, 2023, caregivers will no longer be permitted to grow marijuana except for minors or incapacitated adults and on islands where no marijuana dispensary exists.