Medical-marijuana stores closed to the general public

Question: I know they are a long way from opening, but I am trying to get a sense of how these marijuana dispensaries will work, especially since we have so many tourists here. Will anybody be able to go in and browse?

Answer: No. “Only qualified registered patients and their caregivers will be allowed to enter dispensary retail sites to purchase medical marijuana,” said Janice Okubo, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, which administers Hawaii’s medical-marijuana programs.

Moreover, those customers will be allowed only in a dispensary’s retail space, not in its production area.

“Only authorized persons” will be allowed on both sides of a dispensary (production and retail), including licensees, employees and others, subject to a criminal background check, according to the Health Department.

Kokua Line has received a flurry of medical-marijuana questions lately, and we’ll try to address more next week. Medical marijuana-related bills percolating in the state Legislature and news of growers being authorized to plant seeds have spurred readers’ interest.

Medical aid in dying

The public is invited to learn more about legislative measures that would authorize medically assisted death for mentally competent adults with terminal illnesses. A discussion will be held March 6 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Mililani Hongwanji, 95-257 Kaloapau St.

Advocate John Radcliffe, a longtime Hawaii lobbyist and former head of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, who has terminal cancer, will share his story. Mary Steiner, executive director of the nonprofit Compassion and Choices Hawaii, will help with a question-and-answer session. For more information or to submit questions in advance, email Steiner at msteiner@compassionandchoices.org.

Q: You got it wrong. I have been receiving generic Viagra for two years now. You should call a Honolulu pharmacy and check it out. …

A: Although you didn’t leave your name or phone number so that we could follow up, we presume that your prescription is for 20-mg-strength sildenafil citrate, the generic version of a pulmonary arterial hypertension pill called Revatio. This generic has been available in the United States by prescription for several years.

Viagra also is sildenafil citrate, but in 25-, 50- and 100-mg tablets. As Kokua Line previously stated, its generic version won’t be broadly available in the United States until December.

Some men with erectile dysfunction have replaced Viagra with the low-dose Revatio generic. Consumer Reports said last year that cost savings may be significant, even though a patient would have to take multiple lower-dose pills to replicate the effect of a single strong dose of Viagra. At any rate, the question we answered (808ne.ws/2kLtpND) was specifically about Viagra, and why it has remained under U.S. patent for so long.

Mahalo

On a January weekend, I had a bad fall by the Waipahu 7-Eleven. A kind man sitting in a wheelchair called over some men waiting in the Tanioka’s line. These kind men and a woman got me back to my feet — a bit of a struggle because of the awkwardness of my position and the pain. Someone brought my car over. Unfortunately this is quite a blur and I remember neither names nor faces. I do remember a kind man reassuring me that this happens to his own mother; it showed because he knew exactly what to do! I wish I could thank you all in person. I’m a Tanioka’s regular so if any of you see me, introduce yourselves and I’d love to treat you to a poke bowl! — Thank you, L

Auwe

Auwe to drivers who don’t know how to merge! There’s no reason to line up in one lane so far away from a merge when there are two or more perfectly good lanes to use. All you do is back up traffic. The Waialae Avenue merge onto H1 westbound is a perfect example. — Needed to vent

Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.