Hawaii’s Senate Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection committees approved an amended version of House Bill 302 today, advancing a measure that would expand access to medical marijuana in the state.
The bill, introduced in January with eight sponsors, would allow doctors and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to certify patients for medical marijuana use via telehealth rather than requiring an in-person visit. Lawmakers also amended the measure to eliminate the state’s list of qualifying conditions, allowing healthcare providers to recommend medical marijuana for any condition they deem necessary.
Currently, Hawaii law limits medical marijuana eligibility to patients diagnosed with a specific set of conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, severe pain, and glaucoma, among others. If enacted, HB 302 would remove these restrictions, giving doctors greater discretion in determining who can benefit from medical marijuana treatment.
Supporters argue that telehealth access will reduce barriers for patients, particularly those in rural areas or with mobility issues, while expanding qualifying conditions aligns Hawaii’s program with the multiple states where doctors have broad authority to recommend marijuana for any condition.
Hawaii legalized medical marijuana in 2000, four years after California became the first state to do so. A regulated dispensary system was established in 2015, and the state’s first licensed dispensary opened in August 2017.
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