It’s truth time for Hawaii’s medical marijuana bill.
It’s truth time for Hawaii’s medical marijuana bill.
With the clock ticking on the current legislative session, House and Senate leaders are working today to forge an agreement on legislation to set up a statewide system of medical marijuana dispensaries.
The Senate and House showed wide differences on the bill in conference this week, with Senate committee leader Josh Green presenting a “start small” version that would allow one license in each county and a total of 10 facilities statewide where farming and distribution centers are combined, and the House conference leader Della Au Belatti finding his plan too restrictive and favoring big business.
Green has said his proposal, which would require dispensary owners to be licensed health care professionals with access to $2 million, is in line with requests from public safety officials and makes the initial effort manageable. Green worried that the state departments of health and public safety won’t have the resources to properly oversee and regulate the launch of a large number of dispensaries, which in turn would lead to delays and possible derailment of the initiative.
Chief among its differences, the House favors separate licenses for growers and more licenses to prevent monopolies on the supply.
Lawmakers were in negotiations Thursday and Green said he hopes to pass legislation that will guarantee two dispensaries on the Big Island.
Medical marijuana has been legal in Hawaii since 2000, but the state’s 13,000 patients lack easy access to the drug unless they themselves or a caregiver are skilled at growing it.