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Learn more about marijuana in Hawaii

FAQs▼▲

Is Marijuana Legal in Hawaii?▼

Where Can I Consume Marijuana?▼

In Hawaii, consumption of marijuana in any form is prohibited in any public place. Additionally, smoking or vaporizing marijuana may not be done anywhere that tobacco smoking is prohibited. Those who are legally permitted to use marijuana for medical purposes are limited in where they can consume.

Specifically, cardholders are never to use, possess, purchase, or transport medical marijuana in any public place, including parks, beaches, youth and recreation centers, on the grounds of any school, or in any way which may put others at risk.

A law put into place in 2015 to lessen discrimination against cardholders who are lawfully using marijuana concluded:

  • First, no school can refuse a person because of their active participation in the medical marijuana registry.
  • Second, no landlord may deny any applicant on the basis of their enrollment in the medical marijuana program.

How Do I Get a Job in the Marijuana Industry of Hawaii?▼

The law prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from working as a dispensary agent and require the dispensing facility to provide initial and annual training on the subjects of health, safety, enforcement, and confidentiality. For more information about available job positions in Hawaii, visit The Cannabis Jobs Network.

Is Drug Testing for Marijuana Legal in Hawaii?▼

The medical use of marijuana is protected from discrimination under certain conditions; however, the law currently prohibits the use of medical marijuana at the workplace. Employers are able to use drug testing to assess on-the-job impairment and a variety of other job-related factors.

Is Marijuana Delivery Legal in Hawaii?▼

Delivery is approved between a cardholder and caregiver only. It must be done using a sealed container that is out of public view and cannot be consumed during transport. The total amount of marijuana being transported must remain at or below the possession limit of four ounces. At this time, inter-island transport remains illegal in Hawaii.

How Can I Pay for Marijuana at Hawaii Dispensaries? ▼

Most of the sales will be based on cash, with ATMs available on-site at dispensary locations. Under the law, insurance companies are not required to cover treatments and the continued Schedule I status of marijuana puts card service providers at risk of being involved in money laundering.  

Laws▼▲

Marijuana is Legal▼

Hawaii was the first state in the U.S. to legalize medical marijuana use through legislative action. This stands in contrast to states such as California or Oregon, where the initiatives were passed by voter referendum. Instead, the Senate, House, and Governor of Hawaii passed the medical marijuana registry program into law in 2000.

After being signed into law, more than 13 years passed before the state moved to evolve the program. In 2015, the state moved to expand the industry, ordering the creation of a regulatory framework that would allow the licensed operation of marijuana dispensaries, growing facilities, and production centers.

From 2000 to 2017, medical marijuana cardholders were unable to purchase legally from a dispensary. The first dispensary location opened in August 2017.  

Purchase and Possession Limits▼

Hawaiian medical marijuana cardholders and their caregivers may possess a total of four ounces at any one time. The state has not yet identified any equivalency limits between four ounces of marijuana flower and four ounces of marijuana concentrate.

If an individual not registered as a cardholder or caregiver is caught in possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, they are subject to criminal misdemeanor charges, 30 days in jail, and fines up to $1,000.

If a cardholder or caregiver is caught in possession of more than the four-ounce limit, the same penalties apply.

Growing Marijuana at Home in Hawaii▼

Once a cardholder has been approved by the Department of Health to carry a medical marijuana registration, the cardholder may choose from three options:

  1. A cardholder, with no caregiver, may grow up to ten plants at home
  2. A cardholder, with a caregiver, may grow up to ten plants on the property of the caregiver
  3. A cardholder, with or without a caregiver, may grow up to ten plants in a place owned by the cardholder

Each of these three options must be communicated on the initial and renewal applications under the “grow-site” portion of the application. All home-grown marijuana must be labeled with the cardholder registry ID number and the expiration date.

Marijuana and Driving in Hawaii▼

Driving While Intoxicated

Under no circumstance is being in control of a motor vehicle an acceptable practice under the marijuana laws in Hawaii. It is unclear at this time if the state is creating a program to assess marijuana intoxication beyond the presence of marijuana metabolites, which may be found in urine and hair for several weeks to several months after consuming.

Driving While in Possession of Marijuana

A cardholder and his or her registered caregiver may transport medical marijuana as long as the combined total in their possession does not exceed four ounces. While in transit, the marijuana must not be visible to the public and cannot be removed from the container or be consumed or used in any public place.

Hawaii Dispensaries

Click the map to explore dispensaries in Hawaii.

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