Caregivers providing medical cannabis to qualified patients now protected by law

Gov. Josh Green signed an executive order today to protect caregivers who provide medical cannabis to qualified patients from undue enforcement.
 
Green recognized in a press release on Monday that the legal changes due to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 that concerns primary caregivers to medical cannabis patients could lead to negative health outcomes.

According to a story by Hawaiʻi News Now, caregivers growing and processing marijuana as medicine for Hawaiʻi patients becomes illegal Jan. 1. This will also affect the large community grow sites many of them depend on.

Lawmakers said that was a mistake that they will try and fix as soon as possible, according to House Public Safety Chair Rep. Della Belatti.
 
To address this, Green signed an executive order directing the state Department of Health to not use resources to address situations where a caregiver is cultivating cannabis for a patient within the bounds of the law that exist as of Dec. 31, 2024.

Registered caregivers are allowed to raise up to 10 medical marijuana plants for patients who can’t, as an alternative to dispensaries some say are too expensive or inconvenient.

The current law allows registered caregivers to raise up to 10 medical marijuana plants who can’t as an alternative to dispensaries some say are too expensive or inconvenient.

The executive order allows caregivers to perform their duties without fear of enforcement from the Department of Health, so long as they are not committing other significant violations described in the order.
 
“We have medical cannabis statutes to provide patients the relief each desperately needs as they navigate very serious health issues,” Green said. “We must protect the patients and their caregivers when the caregivers cultivate cannabis for a patient in a manner that fits squarely within the spirit of the medical-cannabis law.”

“The Hawaiʻi Department of Health strongly supports continuing to allow primary caregivers to cultivate medical cannabis for qualifying patients as needed for the patients’ health,” said Department of Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink.

Green is urging the state Legislature to fix this law to ensure that primary caregivers can continue to provide services to those patients who are in the greatest need.