Honolulu, HI: Democrat Gov. David Ige has signed legislation into law expanding patient’s access to medical marijuana and cannabis-infused products.
House Bill 2729 establishes criteria permitting out-of-state patients to access medical cannabis. It also permits regulators to certify patients’ recommendations for up to a three-year period, and allows for physicians to make recommendations to patients via telehealth conferencing. The measure also permits licensed dispensaries to sell cartridges to patients containing cannabis extracts and oils. The law took effect upon passage.
By contrast, the Governor vetoed separate legislation – Senate Bill 2407 – which would have allowed physicians to recommend medicinal cannabis to patients as a substitute for opioids or to treat symptoms of opioid-related withdrawal. The Governor indicated that the responsibility of adding new eligible conditions ought to be left up to the Health Department, not lawmakers. Numerous studies find that chronic pain patients with legal access to cannabis reduce or even eliminate their use of prescription opioids.
For more information, contact Justin Strekal, NORML Political Director, at (202) 483-5500.