How to Get a Hawaii Medical Marijuana Card
Friday April 28, 2017
Updated on 7/7/2021
Hawaii legalized medical marijuana in 2000 by Act 228, but has only recently issued dispensary licenses across the state. The law in Hawaii requires all patients to be registered with the Medical Marijuana Registry Program before they are able to purchase or use medicinal marijuana products.
As with other states with medical marijuana programs, one must obtain a recommendation from a licensed physician who will determine if you have a qualifying health condition that would be helped with the consumption of medical marijuana. Once a recommendation is received, the patient must be registered with the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) and will receive a 329 registration card. Note that the DOH must provide limited access to law enforcement to help protect the community.
If you are a medical marijuana patient in Hawaii, you will be able to possess and purchase up to four ounces of usable marijuana in a 15-day period. Also, medical marijuana patients are allowed to grow up to 24 plants, as long as it’s not on someone else’s property or where children are present.
Although the process to obtain a medical marijuana card in Hawaii can be quite tedious, patients can get the highest level of experiential medical marijuana knowledge and receive a recommendation from a doctor in a few short steps. After visiting a doctor, follow the instructions below to submit a formal application to the DOH.
Process to Obtain a Medical Marijuana Card in Hawaii:
If you’re looking for a quicker way to receive a doctor’s recommendation, check out a qualified company with access to doctors around the country.
Regardless, an individual must be enrolled into the Department of Health registry in order to legally purchase medical marijuana from a medical dispensary in Hawaii.
To do so, one must:
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Have a qualifying chronic health condition
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Create a free account on Hawaii.gov (https://login.ehawaii.gov/lala/)
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Complete an application through the Medical Marijuana Registry (https://medmj.ehawaii.gov)
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Submit your medical marijuana application to your physician.
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Once certified by your physician, he/she will submit the application to the DOH.
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If approved, you’ll get your medical marijuana card in the mail.
Restrictions:
The medical marijuana program in Hawaii allows minors and adults to legally apply for a medical marijuana card. Minors must have a parent or guardian sign as their primary caretaker who will be responsible for possession and use of marijuana products.
Adults simply need to be 21 years of age or older.
You must have proof of residency in the State of Hawaii.
Qualifying Health Conditions:
Patients who have been diagnosed with a chronic, debilitating or life-threatening medical condition are protected under the Hawaii Medical Marijuana law (unless you have a drug-related felony on your record).
Such medical conditions include (but are not limited to) the following:
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Epilepsy
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Multiple Sclerosis
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HIV/AIDS
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Cancer
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Crohn’s Disease
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PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
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Consistent seizures or muscle spasms
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Severe nausea
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Cachexia
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Glaucoma
Applying to Become a Medical Marijuana Patient in Hawaii:
If you have a qualifying health condition, then you can fill out an application form online with the Hawaii Medical Marijuana Registry. Currently, there is a non-refundable charge of $38.50 to complete the online application.
Remember that the application process is only between the patient and the DOH and can be quite difficult to complete. If any mistakes are found within the application, it will be sent back to the patient to fix. Once completed again, your application will be placed at the back of the line, so be sure to check for errors before you submit.
Find a Doctor:
After completing the application, you’ll need to submit it to a licensed physician to complete the Hawaii medical marijuana card application process. Note that new rules state that a patient must have a “bona fide physician-patient relationship or a bona fide advanced practice nurse-patient relationship” for a certification to be issued.
Once the physician certifies your condition, they will submit the application to the DOH. Only a doctor will be able to submit the application to the DOH – not the patient.
Get your Medical Marijuana Card in Hawaii:
If approved, you’ll receive your medical marijuana card in the mail. Typically, there is a turnaround time of 10 business days. If you do not see a 329 registration number in your account on the Hawaii.gov website (medmj.ehawaii.gov), then your license has not been issued yet.
Reciprocity in Hawaii:
Currently, Hawaii does not offer reciprocity for out-of-state medical marijuana cards. The state predicts it will offer such services in 2018 with a required registration.