Hawaii Medical Marijuana Card

Is Medical Marijuana Legal In Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii's legislature approved marijuana for medical purposes through SB 862, also called the Hawaii Medical Marijuana Act. Governor Ben Cayetano signed the act into law as Act 228 in 2000. The state also runs a medical cannabis patient registry program overseen by the Department of Health. Qualified patients and their caregivers must register with the state's medical cannabis patient registry program before they may use medical cannabis for medicinal purposes. Medical marijuana may be purchased in the form of capsules, tablets, edibles, smokable flowers, vapes, concentrates, topical creams, and gels in Hawaii.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Hawaii in 2024

Qualifying Conditions for Medical Card in Hawaii in 2024

Hawaiians who wish to use medical marijuana must be diagnosed with one or more of the approved debilitating conditions in the state and obtain medical marijuana cards. The approved debilitating medical conditions include:

• Cancer
• Positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
• Glaucoma
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Epilepsy
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Cachexia
• Severe nausea
• Severe pain
• Seizures
• Epilepsy
• Persistent and severe muscle spasms
• Crohn's disease

Out-of-state residents in Hawaii may also qualify to use medical marijuana if they apply for medical marijuana cards 60 days prior to their visits.

Can I Apply For A Medical Marijuana Card In Hawaii Online?

Yes, you may apply for a medical marijuana card via the online application system created for Hawaii medical marijuana program participants. However, medical marijuana certifications may only be obtained during in-person visits.

How Do I Register With The Hawaii Medical Cannabis Registry Program?

You can register for the Hawaii medical cannabis registry program online if eligible under the program rules. An application must be made to the Hawaii Department of Health, and a medical cannabis card must be obtained before you legally use medical marijuana in the state. Note that you must have an eligible condition and get a medical cannabis certification to qualify for inclusion in the program.

Do I Need To Be A Hawaii Resident To Get A Medical Marijuana Card?

No, you do not have to be a Hawaii resident to obtain a medical marijuana card in the state. Under the Hawaii medical cannabis registry program, out-of-state patients certified in their home states as having one or more qualifying debilitating medical conditions recognized in Hawaii can apply for temporary medical marijuana cards. Out-of-state patients are advised to review the applicable checklist before applying for inclusion in the Hawaii medical cannabis program registry.

What Is The Cost Of A Hawaii Medical Marijuana Card?

For in-state patients, a Hawaii medical marijuana card costs $38.50 for a one-year registration and $77 for a two-year registration. For an out-of-state patient, the application costs $49.50. Application fees for both in-state and out-of-state patients are non-refundable. Application fees may be paid using credit and debit cards or direct withdrawal from savings and checking accounts. Note that applications fulfilled with direct withdrawals will not be processed until at least 10 business days from their debit dates. A Hawaii medical marijuana card may be renewed for the same amount as the initial application fee.

What Do You Need When Visiting A Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Hawaii?

To purchase medical marijuana from approved medical cannabis dispensaries in Hawaii, you must visit the location with your valid Hawaii in-state or out-of-state patient registry card (329 card) and valid State of Hawaii-issued identification, valid State of Hawaii-issued driver's licenses, or valid passport to gain entry.

Who Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana In Hawaii?

Hawaii requires residents who want to use medical marijuana legally to obtain recommendations from licensed and approved healthcare practitioners in the state before they may be included in the Hawaii medical cannabis patient registry program. Certifications may be issued by physicians and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). The State of Hawaii prohibits physician assistants from issuing medical cannabis recommendations.

In addition, a physician or APRN must maintain a bona fide physician-patient relationship with a patient before issuing a medical cannabis recommendation. The state's requirement for patients to see physicians before obtaining access to medical marijuana is to verify that the patient:

• Suffers from an approved debilitating medical condition
• Has been informed of the potential benefits and risks of medical marijuana use
• Obtains a certification in writing attesting to the conditions stated above

The Hawaii medical cannabis registry program provides a list of medical providers that can provide written certifications to persons interested in getting medical marijuana in the state. Note that the roster is not an exhaustive list of medical providers qualified to issue medical marijuana recommendations. Hence, you may be able to find other providers who can issue medical cannabis certifications that are not included on the list.

Can A Minor Get A Medical Marijuana Card In Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii permits residents under the age of 18 to use medical marijuana through the assistance of designated caregivers. These caregivers, who must be registered with the Department of Health, can help qualified patients procure, grow, and administer medical marijuana. Prior to obtaining a medical marijuana card, a minor must also obtain a medical cannabis certification from an approved physician or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse before initiating an application for a medical marijuana card.

Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card At 18 In Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii’s medical marijuana program recognizes applicants under the age of 18 as minors. When they turn 18, they can apply for a 329 card without requiring the consent of their parents or legal guardians and without designating caregivers on their applications.

How To Renew Your Hawaii Medical Marijuana Card

The renewal process for a 329 card (medical marijuana card) in Hawaii is similar to the initial application process for the card. Note that you may qualify for a two-year renewal if:

• You are renewing with the same physician or APRN who issued your initial medical cannabis certification; and
• The certifying physician or APRN attests that your condition is chronic; and
• The certifying medical practitioner recommends that a two-year medical card registration would be in your best interest

You must check with your medical provider to confirm that the healthcare practitioner will award a two-year registration as the renewal fee is non-refundable. You will receive a notification by email from the Hawaii Department of Health 60 days prior to your medical marijuana card expiration. You may renew the card 60 days before its expiration date; however, the card only becomes valid when the current medical marijuana card expires.

Can You Grow Medical Marijuana In Hawaii?

Hawaii's Act 228 allows qualified patients residing in the state to grow their own cannabis or appoint a caregiver to do so on their behalf. Registered patients and caregivers are permitted to grow up to 10 plants if they have registered their intent to cultivate marijuana in Hawaii. Such grow locations must be made known to the Department of Health, and grow operations may only be conducted at the home of the patient or caregiver or any other site controlled by either person. Hawaii laws require that all cultivated plants be in a single location and tagged with the registered patient's medical marijuana card number and expiration date. No more than 4 ounces of marijuana may be found in possession of a registered patient at any time.

Note that from December 31, 2023, the State of Hawaii prohibits caregivers from growing marijuana for qualified patients, except for minors and incapacitated adults, or on islands with no medical marijuana dispensaries.

Does Hawaii Allow Medical Marijuana Patients To Designate Caregivers?

Yes. Hawaii allows minors and adults who are unable to care for themselves to designate other adult Hawaii residents as caregivers. Medical marijuana caregivers are persons who have consented to help registered patients under the Hawaii medical cannabis patient program to grow, obtain, transport, and use medical marijuana. To be as designated as a caregiver in Hawaii, an individual must:

• Be aged 18 or older
• Reside in the State of Hawaii
• Not be the registered patient's physician
• Have agreed to undertake the responsibility of maintaining the well-being of a registered patient with respect to the use of medical marijuana
• Be a parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of the patient, if the patient is under 18 or an adult lacking legal capacity

Per Section 329-123 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, a registered patient may not designate more than one primary caregiver at any given time. However, the DOH permits minors to register up to two caregivers, provided that the primary caregivers are the parents, guardians, or persons with legal custody of the minor patients.

Primary caregivers must be designated by the qualifying patients on their application forms and registered with the Department of Public Health to obtain caregiver cards. Caregivers do not have to register separately from the patients represented.

Hawaii Medical Marijuana Reciprocity

Hawaii allows out-of-state patients with medical marijuana cards or caregiver privileges to participate in the state's medical cannabis registry program. To be eligible, the out-of-state patient's medical condition must be one of the qualifying conditions recognized under the Hawaii medical cannabis registry program.

Out-of-state patients must apply for inclusion in the Hawaii medical cannabis registry program and obtain Hawaii-issued medical marijuana cards before purchasing medical cannabis. Out-of-state patient registrations are active for up to 60 days but no more than two 60-day periods in a calendar year.

Are My Medical Marijuana Records Private?

Medical marijuana records under the Hawaii medical cannabis registry program are protected in strict adherence to the HIPAA guidelines. Hence, medical records are confidential and are not openly available to the public or employers. However, in specific circumstances, such as when a violator is being investigated for a crime related to marijuana, the offender's medical marijuana records may be made available to law enforcement agencies.

Does Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana In Hawaii?

No, insurance does not cover medical marijuana costs in Hawaii, as state laws do not require insurance companies to cover medical marijuana. Note that medical marijuana is still labeled a Schedule I drug by the federal government, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

What Is The Medical Card Limit In Hawaii?

The Hawaii medical marijuana card allows the cardholder to purchase and possess up to 4 ounces of usable marijuana.

Can You Go To A Dispensary Without A Medical Card In Hawaii?

No. You must visit Hawaii dispensaries with an in-state or out-of-state medical marijuana card issued under the Hawaii medical cannabis registry program to be able to purchase marijuana.