Hawaii’s medical marijuana industry slow to grow
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The number of doctors certifying medical cannabis patients only climbed slightly over the past six months.
Health care providers have been slow to embrace the medical marijuana industry even though July 15 was the legal opening date for the state’s first dispensaries.
The number of doctors certifying medical cannabis patients only climbed slightly over the past six months. There were 88 physicians who certified 14,492 patients as of June 30, up from 79 doctors and 13,150 patients on Dec. 31, according to the state Health Department.
Despite a nationwide push to legalize pot, Hawaii doctors are still reluctant to join the movement, said Dr. Chris Flanders, executive director of the Hawaii Medical Association, representing 1,100 physicians.
“According to the federal government, it’s illegal. For years we were threatened with the possibility of losing Medicare privileges for recommending or certifying medical marijuana patients,” he said. “The possibility always existed that a federal agency could come into your office and prosecute a physician criminally for activities related to the use of marijuana. Although they never really did that, a lot of the physicians feel like it’s not worth the risk.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lists marijuana as one of the most dangerous drugs, along with heroin, with a high potential for abuse, though there has been a major push to change that as more states legalize the drug.
Persuading more physicians to buy into the medical marijuana program also is difficult because of a lack of research to prove the efficacy of cannabis treatment, said HMA President Dr. Scott McCaffrey.
“The majority of doctors are viewing this cautiously. We don’t have enough good clinical research and more needs to be done,” he said. “There’s hesitation because there’s just not enough clinical research and we don’t know what we’re recommending in terms of potency and purity of cannabis when it’s bought illegally on the streets. For those reasons doctors are holding back.”
Hawaii legalized medical marijuana 16 years ago, but patients did not have a legal way to obtain the drug. Act 241, passed in 2015, allowed the state to issue eight licenses for a total of 16 medical marijuana dispensaries statewide. The law allowed dispensaries to open July 15, but licensees have said they will not be ready to open until late this year or early next year.
“Doctors are waiting until dispensaries are really established before they will be comfortable writing more certifications for medical marijuana use,” McCaffrey added. “There is considerable interest in this area from a lot of doctors, but I think they’ve taken a wait-and-see stance until dispensaries actually come into being. Once the dispensaries are open, there will at least be some level of quality control on medical cannabis and … I believe doctors will be more comfortable on coaching and advising their patients on this matter.”
Dr. Scott Miscovich, a primary care doctor who certifies medical marijuana patients, said educating physicians and patients is crucial to legitimizing the industry.
“The hesitation is pure education. Doctors are still fearful to certify patients. They’re not prescribing or putting their Medicare license or federal DEA license at risk. It’s kind of an urban myth,” he said. “We are not telling them what to buy or how much to use. It’s a big confusion that doctors don’t understand. To a lot of people it’s taboo to even ask their patients if they’re using medical marijuana.”
Gov. David Ige signed a bill into law earlier this month that allows nurses to certify patients for medicinal marijuana, a move advocates say is necessary because of a shortage of doctors willing to join the program.
Change is difficult in the constantly evolving health care community, so it may take awhile for providers to become comfortable with marijuana as medicine, Flanders said.
“The majority are going to wait and see what happens. And make sure it’s safe, easy and doesn’t cause problems for their practice,” he said. “We see that with a lot of different things: new technology, new procedural issues, new policy issues. A lot of physicians, they’ll wait and see how new things work out for the people that are using them before they start using those technologies or those procedures. They’re a conservative bunch. They want to keep the risks as low as possible.”
31 responses to “Hawaii’s medical marijuana industry slow to grow”
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Probably because those that really need medical marijuana already have the certification.
Is the SA saying that doctors should falsify medical records to raise the number of card carrying patients? This isn’t recreational pot, if you wanted your friends who got those dispensary licenses to make an immediate killing, you should have gotten those tools in the legislature to legalize marijuana, like other states did.
I agree – ONLY those people who really need medical marijuana should get the certification. Only medical doctors should be giving the certifications and not nurses who wouldn’t know how to determine the real need for it.
And, Kekelaward, the FDA just approved synthetic marijuana that could put a huge dent on the medical marijuana scam. Let’s see how this new challenge plays out.
It is not a scam, you i*&@#%
What scam?
JMV, Scam, sure. “Medical Marijuana” is identified as a medicine. Any effective medicine approved by the FDA is normally covered by Health Insurance or controlled by the Federal Government with precise production procedures. Medical marijuana remains a Schedule I drug and not approved by the FDA. Production and sales through the dispensary is a business where patients have no recourse to challenge quality and price.
Now, with the FDA approval of synthetic marijuana in a liquid form and classified as a Schedule III drug. Soon, the liquid form could be covered by medical insurance and a huge savings for patients. Currently, the production and sales of medical marijuana is a scam for patients. Period.
As usual Hawaii is way behind the curve. The state should have gone with full on legalization and rake in the tax profits like colorado.
We have had this medical MJ law for 16 years and only NOW they are acting, wow talk about slow and Useless !
Please NO! Im for lesser punishment for minor amounts of possession, but thats it!
That is because you need government to help you run your life. I understand. Many of us however feel we are capable of running our own lives.
No, its because I’ve seen first hand how drugs ruin lives!
But what actually ruined their lives Bdpapa? Was it the actual usage of drugs or the violation of the law? The vast majority of people are able to handle marijuana just as the vast majority is able to handle alcohol.
Some people are always looking for a better high. The majority of pot smokers are pretty mellow. Like yourself, most have more control and are satisfied with pot. We need to protect the weak!
We need to protect the weak by punishing everybody!
What punishment do you suggest? Why any punishment?
Maybe up to a quarter ounce of Pot, first offense $200 fine. If it is broken down into baggies, then $2000 and 6 month community service.
Medical Marijuana – the new snake oil good for everything. The dope-heads of the Big Island with its small population are 42% and Oahu with a multiple population only 24% of the so far 14500 people befallen by this new disease that legal Marijuana will cure: namely dope addiction.
What are you talking about. Marijuana is not physically addicting. That is little more than an urban legend put forth by those who desire a huge prison industrial complex. People are too stupid to run their own lives and must have big brother help them. Sad.
Open your eyes. Crystal Meth is a MUCH bigger scourge on our society here, yet nothing seems to be done about it. Addiction potential with Meth is about %1000 more than Marijuana which is mistakenly thought of as a gateway drug, which it’s not.
Agree. Clueless as to what is destroying this state, its ICE not POT. Wake Up people !
ICE is the worst! But, I know a bunch of meth addicts who started with pot and went to meth for that better high!
Actually putting people in jail for using any drug is draconian. It shouldn’t be a crime to simply get high. If you shoot up heroin in your house, and don’t bother anybody and don’t drive and sit there and zone, why should we pay to feed, shelter and cloth you in jail? One day all drugs will be available at Longs. The legalization of marijuana is simply the first step.
Will it add to the homeless problems?? Extensive research should be started as it was a State’s project to enact the law creating exclusive licenses for the rich insiders? Who else can finance the dispensaries? Either organized crime or the local “chosen Huis”?
The state needs to start educating doctors about the medical marijuana law. Doctors are confused in thinking that they will need to prescribe marijuana. That is wrong. Doctors only certify that a patient has a medical condition that is covered under the new law. That’s all. Doctors do not prescribe marijuana under this law. Doctors are not legally liable for a patient using marijuana or its effects on the patient. Doctors need to be educated about this law for the process to work for patients who need marijuana as medicine.
Who are these 88 physicians?
Why?
🙂
Probably the same doctors that are certifiying people as handicapped when they aren’t really disabled and don’t need to park in a handicap parking spot.
Most Hawaii doctors are cowards. Thank goodness for the 88 with courage and compassion. With Alaska, Oregon, Washington…and soon to be California, the entire west coast is going fully legal recreational. Hawaii will do two things — proceed slowly in order to truly lock up a monopoly for a few, fortunate, connected folks…OR show up to the party three days late. As usual.
Just how does legalization and increased marijuana use benefit society as a whole? Marijuana is especially dangerous to younger users, interfering with brain development. Heavy users get lethargic i.e. lazy which makes them less able to achieve. The deep inhalation and holding of marijuana smoke damages lung tissue just like cigarette smoke does. It is also a gateway drug leading users to other far worse substances. The only beneficiaries to increased marijuana use are progressive democrats who need pliable zombies to go out and vote for them.
Okay, there are people who need medical marijuana. I suppose that is valid.
If we start getting lots of people abusing this program and getting marijuana without a real medical need, it may mess up the program and get it shut down. Then, the people who really need it will suffer again. Thus, we need to have tight control on who gets the medical marijuana certifications. No nurses, just qualified physicians.
That nails it!