STAND. COM. REP. NO. 264

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1219

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1219 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CANNABIS FOR MEDICAL USE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Include cannabis propagules and cannabis cuttings in the definition of "cannabis", thereby authorizing dispensaries to dispense medical cannabis propagules and cannabis cuttings;

(2) Permit qualifying patients and primary caregivers who are authorized to cultivate cannabis for medical use to purchase cannabis propagules and cannabis cuttings from a dispensary licensed in the State; and

(3) Establish quantity limits and quality requirements for the dispensing of cannabis propagules and cannabis cuttings.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Maui Grown Therapies, Aloha Green Holdings Inc., Noa Botanicals, Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that existing state law on the medical use of cannabis currently authorizes qualifying patients to cultivate up to ten medical cannabis plants at a grow site listed on the patient's registry card, but it does not specify by what means propagules, cuttings, or other cannabis genetic material necessary to produce these plants may be obtained. In practice, it often forces patients or their primary caregivers to obtain propagules, cuttings, or other cannabis genetic material from the illicit market. Unfortunately, these materials have not been tested for the presence of pesticides and heavy metals and are of unknown genetic provenance and therapeutic value. This measure intends to improve qualifying patients' access to safe and quality-assured medical cannabis and medical cannabis products.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1219, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1219, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Homelessness,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair