First Dispensary on Kaua‘i to Begin Retail Sales of Medical Cannabis

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) announces they have issued a formal notice to proceed to Green Aloha, Ltd. dba Have a Heart after the Kaua‘i dispensary completed laboratory testing requirements and passed the final onsite inspection of its retail facility. Have a Heart is the sixth licensed medical cannabis dispensary in the state, and the first on Kaua‘i, to receive approval to begin sales of medical cannabis to registered patients and their caregivers.

The licensed retail center for Have a Heart is located at 4-1565​ ​Kūhiō​ ​Hwy. in Kapa‘a. The dispensary expects to begin sales of indica, sativa and hybrid cannabis flower strains when it opens to registered patients and caregivers. At a later time, the dispensary plans to offer cannabidiol (CBD) hash, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) hash, lozenges, tinctures, topicals and other cannabis products.

“Having a medical cannabis dispensary open on Kaua‘i expands options for registered patients and their caregivers, providing greater access to meet medical needs,” said Keith Ridley, who oversees DOH’s medical cannabis dispensary program and serves as chief of the Office of Health Care Assurance. “As dispensaries continue to open across the state, we remain committed to working collaboratively with the licensees to protect the safety of patients while ensuring an efficient and thorough inspection and certification process.”

“It’s a privilege to serve the people of Kauai by providing a safe and high-quality product for patients with the medical needs,” said Justin Britt, chief executive officer of Green Aloha, Ltd. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Department of Health to meet all state requirements to ensure the safety of products and the community.”

Hawai‘i Revised Statutes Chapter 329D and Hawai‘i Administrative Rules Chapter 11-850 govern the rigorous dispensary approval process to open and begin selling medical cannabis. To ensure the highest standards of quality and care, dispensaries are required to comply with all state and county health and safety regulations. Dispensaries are subject to unannounced inspections by DOH.

The other licensed retail centers operating in the state include:

• Maui Grown Therapies, located at 44 Pa‘a Street in Kahului, Maui, which received a notice to proceed on Aug. 8, 2017;
• Aloha Green, in the Interstate Building at 1314 South King Street in Honolulu, which received its notice to proceed on Aug. 9, 2017;
• Pono Life Sciences Maui LLC, at 415 Dairy Road in Kahului, Maui, which received its notice to proceed on Sept. 29, 2017;
• Noa Botanicals, located at 1308 Young Street in Honolulu, which received its notice to proceed on Oct. 9, 2017; and
• Cure Oahu, located at 727 Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu, which received its notice to proceed on March 16, 2018.

Licensed dispensaries on Hawai‘i Island are expected to open retail facilities later this year.

Registered patients and their caregivers may purchase up to four ounces of medical cannabis during a 15-consecutive day period and purchase a maximum of eight ounces over a 30-consecutive day period. When bringing medical cannabis home after purchasing it from a dispensary, the medical cannabis must be in a sealed container and not visible to the public.

All use of medical cannabis must be on private property and may not be used in a car while on the road, at work, at the beach, on hiking trails, or in any other public space. It is illegal to use or possess medical cannabis on any federally owned property such as military installations and national parks.

There are eight licensed dispensaries in Hawai‘i. There are three on O‘ahu: Aloha Green Holdings Inc.; Mānoa Botanicals LLC dba Noa Botanicals; and TCG Retro Market 1, LLC dba Cure Oahu. There are two in Hawai‘i County: Hawaiian Ethos LLC and Lau Ola LLC. The two Maui dispensaries include Maui Wellness Group, LLC dba Maui Grown Therapies; and Pono Life Sciences Maui, LLC. The one dispensary located on Kaua‘i is Green Aloha, Ltd. Each licensed dispensary is an independent business and operates based on their individual business plans.

More information on the Medical Cannabis Dispensary Program is available athttp://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabis/.