Kaua‘i has 259 registered medical marijuana patients, second most in the state. O‘ahu has only 139, and Maui 121. Since Hawai‘i officials legalized the medicinal use of the drug in 2000, only the Big Island (513) had more patients requesting
Kaua‘i has 259 registered medical marijuana patients, second most in the state. O‘ahu has only 139, and Maui 121.
Since Hawai‘i officials legalized the medicinal use of the drug in 2000, only the Big Island (513) had more patients requesting marijuana permits than Kaua‘i.
According to the state Narcotics Enforcement Division (NED), there are over 1,000 patients in Hawai‘i who can use the drug for medicinal purposes.
Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii President Pamela Lichty said the number of people approved to use medical marijuana “is really quite extraordinary considering how little you hear about it.
“If there were problems, we would hear about it,” she said.
The NED oversees the marijuana program, although it could move over to the state Department of Health in the future.
According to the NED, a licensed physician cannot prescribe marijuana, but can certify it for patients with “chronic and debilitating” diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and glaucoma, or conditions causing weakness, severe pain or nausea, seizures, and severe muscle spasms characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn’s disease.
If a physician feels marijuana is necessary for a patient, he or she fills out forms developed for a medicinal-marijuana registry, which is handled by the NED.
Division officials verify information submitted by doctors, then send them certificates to sign and present to patients. The procedure takes five to seven days. A patient must also register with the state Department of Public Safety to avoid criminal prosecution for cultivation, possession or use under state law.
According to NED Chief Keith Kamita, once a patient is certified to use the drug, he or she may grow four immature plants and three mature, i.e. flowering, plants, in order to use the drug. The total amount of marijuana a patient can use is one ounce for each mature plant.
NED officials cannot investigate registered patients for potential violations. They instead rely on county police to call division officials whenever police suspect someone of growing marijuana, to see if the person is on the registry.
“We’ve had many cases where they claim to be on and they aren’t, or they are on and have excessive numbers of plants,” Kamita said. “They’re still arrest-able.”
According to Kamita, the NED receives approximately 13 calls a month from Hawai‘i county police departments checking on potential violations.
The legislative law allowing medicinal use of marijuana in Hawai‘i went into effect on June 14, 2000.
The bill went into effect as a result of lobbying from the Drug Policy Forum, which felt that marijuana was needed for the “compassionate and humane” care of patients with debilitating diseases.
According to forum officials, “the mission of the agency is to encourage the development of effective drug policies that minimize economic, social and human costs, and to promote discussion and consideration of pragmatic approaches to drug policy based upon scientific principles, effective outcomes, public-health considerations, concern for human dignity and the enhanced well-being of individuals and communities.”
