Hawaii Approves Second Licensed Dispensary to Start Sales
"The opening of a licensed dispensary on Oahu is a major milestone for the more than 5,000 qualified patients and caregivers in Honolulu," said Health Director Dr. Virginia Pressler. "Our staff continues to work with all the licensees as they build their facilities and business operations in compliance with county and state laws to ensure product and patient safety."
The Hawaii Department of Health issued a formal notice to proceed to Aloha Green LLC on Aug. 9 after the dispensary completed laboratory testing requirements and passed its final on-site inspection. Aloha Green is the second licensed medical cannabis dispensary in the state, and the first on Oahu, to receive approval to begin sales of medical cannabis to registered patients and their caregivers. Its licensed retail center is at the Interstate Building at 1314 South King Street in Honolulu; the center is licensed to begin selling dried medical cannabis flowers when it opens to registered patients.
"The opening of a licensed dispensary on Oahu is a major milestone for the more than 5,000 qualified patients and caregivers in Honolulu," said Health Director Dr. Virginia Pressler. "Our staff continues to work with all the licensees as they build their facilities and business operations in compliance with county and state laws to ensure product and patient safety."
Dispensaries must comply with all state and county health, safety, and sanitation regulations and are subject to unannounced inspections by the Department of Health. Registered patients and their caregivers may purchase up to four ounces of medical cannabis during a 15 consecutive days period and purchase a maximum of eight ounces over a period of 30 consecutive days. All use of medical cannabis must be on private property; it 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, and it is illegal to use or possess medical cannabis on any federally owned property. When someone is bringing medical cannabis home after buying it from a dispensary, the cannabis must be in a sealed container and not visible to the public.
According to the state's announcement, there are eight licensed dispensaries in Hawaii that are at different stages of development by the licensees and at varying stages of the approval process.