Hawaii became the first state to legalize medical marijuana through the legislative process with the passage of Act 228, also known as the Hawaii Medical Marijuana Act. This landmark legislation allowed patients with specific medical conditions, such as cancer, glaucoma, and HIV/AIDS, to use marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.
The Hawaii State Legislature passed a resolution urging Congress to "consider allowing physicians to prescribe marijuana for medical use." (Resolution 21)
The year 2001 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
SB 862: This bill aimed to amend the penalties for the possession of marijuana, making the possession of less than one ounce a violation punishable by a fine.
HB 1154: This bill proposed an amendment to the medical marijuana laws to allow registered patients and caregivers to grow marijuana for personal medical use.
SB 1311: This bill proposed expanding the medical conditions for which medical marijuana could be recommended. The bill was introduced but did not pass.
The year 2002 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 2747: This bill proposed the decriminalization of marijuana possession for individuals over the age of 18, making it punishable by a fine rather than criminal penalties.
SB 2841: This bill aimed to allow patients to cultivate marijuana for medical use under certain conditions and authorized the Department of Public Safety to establish rules regarding the cultivation, distribution, and use of medical marijuana.
The year 2003 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 33: This bill aimed to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in Hawaii under specific guidelines and regulations.
SB 822: This bill proposed establishing a medical marijuana research program within the Department of Public Safety.
The year 2004 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 1539: This bill aimed to amend the existing medical marijuana laws to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in Hawaii under specific guidelines and regulations.
SB 2039: This bill proposed the decriminalization of marijuana possession for individuals over the age of 18, making it punishable by a fine rather than criminal penalties.
The year 2005 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 674: This bill aimed to amend existing medical marijuana laws, including increasing the permissible amount of medical marijuana a patient or caregiver may possess and allowing the establishment of medical marijuana compassion centers.
SB 1704: This bill proposed to establish a medical marijuana research program within the Department of Public Safety.
The year 2006 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 2686: This bill aimed to establish medical marijuana compassion centers to allow for the distribution of medical marijuana to registered qualifying patients.
SB 3082: This bill proposed to establish a medical marijuana research program within the Department of Health.
The Hawaii State Legislature passed Act 228, which expanded the medical conditions for which medical marijuana could be recommended to include chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, and persistent muscle spasms.
The year 2007 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 267: This bill aimed to remove the criminal penalties for the possession of marijuana under one ounce for individuals over the age of 18 and instead make it a civil infraction punishable by a fine.
SB 786: This bill proposed to increase the allowable amount of marijuana that a medical marijuana patient or caregiver may possess from one to four ounces.
The Hawaii State Legislature passed Act 178, which allowed for the creation of non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries. However, this provision was later repealed in 2011.
The year 2008 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 2675: This bill aimed to decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, making it a civil violation punishable by a fine.
SB 2547: This bill proposed to increase the allowable amount of marijuana that a medical marijuana patient or caregiver may possess from three ounces to four ounces.
The year 2009 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 1191: This bill aimed to remove criminal penalties for the possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and establish it as a civil violation punishable by a fine.
HB 1423: This bill proposed to establish medical marijuana compassion centers for the distribution of medical marijuana to qualifying patients.
The year 2010 saw the introduction of several other notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 2703, which aimed to legalize the use of medical marijuana dispensaries, was introduced but did not pass.
HB 2848: This bill aimed to establish a five-year medical marijuana research program within the Department of Health, including the licensing of medical marijuana compassion centers to distribute marijuana to qualifying patients.
SB 2450: This bill proposed to establish medical marijuana dispensaries regulated by the Department of Public Safety and remove the requirement that a primary caregiver be a relative of the qualifying patient.
The year 2011 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 95: This bill aimed to remove the criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and establish it as a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $100.
SB 58: This bill proposed to amend the existing medical marijuana law to include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying medical condition.
The year 2012 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
SB 2262: This bill aimed to decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, making it a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $100.
SB 2247: This bill proposed to amend the medical marijuana law by removing criminal penalties for patients possessing an amount of marijuana greater than the legal limit, provided the amount is within the range established by their certifying physician.
The Hawaii State Legislature passed Act 177, which provided legal protection to patients and caregivers who registered with the state's medical marijuana program.
The year 2013 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 150: This bill aimed to legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana for recreational use, as well as the possession of up to one ounce for adults aged 21 and over.
SB 472: This bill proposed to decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, making it a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $100.
The year 2014 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
- HB 2096: This bill aimed to improve Hawaii's medical marijuana program by clarifying the medical conditions that qualified for the program and the amount of marijuana that patients could possess.
- SB 2358: This bill proposed to legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana for recreational use and the possession of up to one ounce for adults aged 21 and over.
The year 2015 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
The Hawaii State Legislature passed Act 241, which established a legal regulatory framework for medical marijuana dispensaries. The law allowed the licensing of up to eight dispensaries across the state, providing a legal avenue for patients to access medical cannabis.
HB 321: This bill established a statewide medical marijuana dispensary system in Hawaii, allowing qualifying patients to legally purchase their medicine.
SB 596: This bill proposed to decriminalize the possession of marijuana for personal use, making it a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $100.
The year 2016 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
The Hawaii State Department of Health awarded licenses to eight medical marijuana dispensary applicants. The first dispensary opened in August of 2017.
First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens in Hawaii
HB 2707: This bill aimed to make several improvements to Hawaii's medical marijuana dispensary system, including the establishment of a Medical Marijuana Dispensary System Legislative Oversight Working Group.
SB 2179: This bill proposed to decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, making it a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $100.
The year 2017 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 799: This bill proposed to legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana for recreational use and the possession of up to one ounce for adults aged 21 and over. SB 548: This bill aimed to decriminalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, making it a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $100.The year 2018 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
HB 1893: This bill aimed to expand the list of qualifying conditions for the medical use of cannabis to include opioid use disorder, substance use disorder, and withdrawal symptoms resulting from the treatment of these conditions.
SB 2733: This bill proposed to legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana for recreational use and the possession of up to one ounce for adults aged 21 and over.
The inaugural Medical Cannabis Day Celebration was held in the Mokupāpapa Discovery Center in Hilo, Hawaii. Senator Russell Ruderman provided a keynote address.
The Hilo Civic Center hosted the Hawaii Cannabis Awareness Conference.
The year 2019 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
The Hawaii State Legislature passed House Bill 1383, which decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis. Under the new law, individuals caught with three grams or less of marijuana would receive a $130 fine rather than facing criminal penalties.
HB 1383: This bill aimed to decriminalize the possession of up to three grams of marijuana, making it a civil violation punishable by a $130 fine. The bill was passed and became law on January 11, 2020, without the Governor's signature.
SB 686: This bill proposed to legalize, regulate, and tax the sale of marijuana for recreational use and the possession of up to one ounce for adults aged 21 and over.
The 1st Annual Medical Cannabis Day Celebration was held online and Dr. Clifton Otto provided a keynote address.
The CannShift Event was held online.
The year 2020 saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation in Hawaii.
SB 2543: This bill aimed to legalize and regulate the sale of cannabis for recreational use for adults aged 21 and over. The bill also proposed to tax the sale of cannabis and use the revenue for various purposes, including funding substance abuse treatment and prevention programs. Bill was introduced but did not pass.
HB 2097: This bill proposed to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia, which would include items related to marijuana use.
The 2nd Annual Medical Cannabis Day Celebration was held online and Dr. Clifton Otto provided the keynote address.
The 2021 Hawaii State Legislative session saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation.
SB 860 would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 and older. The bill passed the Senate but died in the House.
SB 1139 would have created a dual-use cannabis system in Hawaii, allowing for both medical and recreational use of marijuana. The bill passed both chambers and was signed into law by Governor David Ige.
HB 1320 would have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The bill passed the House but died in the Senate.
HB 1321 would have created a task force to study the potential economic and social impacts of legalizing marijuana in Hawaii. The bill passed both chambers and was signed into law by Governor David Ige.
SB 767: This bill aimed to legalize and regulate the sale of cannabis for recreational use for adults aged 21 and over. The bill passed the Senate but did not advance in the House.
SB 714: This bill proposed to allow medical cannabis patients to have more than one caregiver at a time, as well as allow primary caregivers to assist more than one patient.
HB 477: This bill aimed to increase the allowable amount of cannabis that could be possessed by qualifying medical cannabis patients.
The 2022 Hawaii State Legislative session saw the introduction of several notable pieces of marijuana or cannabis legislation.
HB 2260 This bill made several updates to Hawaii's medical cannabis program, including expanding the list of qualifying conditions, increasing the amount of cannabis that patients can possess, and allowing patients to grow their own cannabis.
SB 2455 This bill would have legalized and regulated cannabis for adult use in Hawaii. The bill passed the Senate but did not receive a hearing in the House.
HB 2264 This bill would have allowed counties to adopt ordinances to legalize non-medical marijuana possession, sale, transfer, and use for adults. The bill was introduced but did not receive a hearing in either chamber.
HB 1082 This bill would have amended the state's medical cannabis law to allow patients with chronic conditions to have their written certifications valid for three years.
On April 20th, the state's largest 420 Celebration was held at South Maui Gardens.
Several cannabis-related bills were introduced in the Hawaii State Legislature in 2023.
HB 1773: This bill would have legalized and regulated cannabis for adult use in Hawaii. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on January 18, 2023.
SB 2238: This bill would have amended the state's medical cannabis law to allow patients with chronic conditions to have their written certifications valid for three years. The bill also would have removed the requirement that a certifying physician or advanced practice registered nurse have a "bona fide" physician-patient or advanced practice registered nurse-patient relationship to certify that a patient has a debilitating medical condition. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 25, 2023.
Both bills were referred to their respective committees, but neither bill received a hearing. As a result, neither bill became law.
It is possible that these bills could be reintroduced in the Hawaii State Legislature in 2024. If the bills are reintroduced, it will be interesting to see whether they can pass their respective committees and become law.
Continue with the History of Cannabis in Hawaii.
Please note that the information provided is based on available historical data, and there might be other bills related to marijuana or cannabis that were introduced in Hawaii. For a comprehensive list, please refer to the Hawaii State Legislature’s archives. Do your own research.