Hawaii’s Health Department is looking for a company to build an online system to track medical marijuana inventory and sales at dispensaries statewide in 2016.
The department’s Office of Health Care Assurance, which regulates and licenses health care facilities, has issued a request for proposals for a computer software tracking system that will run 24 hours a day, according to Keith Ridley, who heads the office.
"This is another major step forward to implement the medical marijuana program to ensure access for Hawaii patients and caregivers," Ridley said in a news release.
"After researching various options, the department determined a Web-based software system would be the most effective and user-friendly way for licensees and state officials to collect and report seed-to-sale tracking information to ensure public safety and patient safety, and licensees will be required to utilize a tracking system. We are also exploring how other entities such as law enforcement officers or laboratories can also securely access the information."
In July Gov. David Ige signed Act 241, which allows for dispensaries to begin selling medical marijuana to qualifying patients or primary caregivers beginning July 15, 2016. Under the law a total of eight dispensary licenses may be issued: three on Oahu, two each on the Big Island and Maui, and one on Kauai.
Each dispensary licensee will be allowed to operate up to two production centers with up to 3,000 marijuana plants each and two retail stations for a total of 16 centers and 16 dispensaries statewide.
The request for proposals is available online at health.hawaii.gov/medicalmarijuana. The contract award is expected to be made by Dec. 23.
KEEPING TABS
The system will collect detailed inventory and sales information, including:
>> The total amount of marijuana at each dispensary, in the form of seeds or plants, including all plants that are derived from cuttings or cloning, until the cannabis or plants, or manufactured pot products are sold or destroyed.
>> The total amount of manufactured marijuana product inventory, including the equivalent physical weight of pot that is used to manufacture marijuana products or purchased by a qualifying patient and primary caregiver from retail dispensing locations in any 15-day period.
>> The amount of unused plant material produced by each plant at harvest.
>> The transport of marijuana and manufactured cannabis products between production centers and retail dispensing locations, including tracking identification issued by the tracking system, the identity of the person transporting the drug or manufactured cannabis products, and how the items are transported. This is another major step forward to implement the medical marijuana program to ensure access for Hawaii patients and caregivers."
Keith Ridley Head, Office of Health Care Assurance
