KAHULUI >>
Hawaii history was made Tuesday with the first legal sale of marijuana, nearly two decades after the state approved the use of pot for medical purposes.
Lahaina resident Fred Rickert, 74, was the first customer to legally purchase cannabis at around noon at Maui Grown Therapies, which opened for about 30 patients after a few glitches in the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system were fixed.
“To be the first person in the state (to purchase marijuana) since it was legalized … is fantastic. It’s going to be a great thing for this state,” he said. “For everyone to get the medication that they’re looking for is wonderful. We’ve been waiting for such a long time.”
Kula resident Mark Grant, 52, has been waiting nearly 10 years to buy safe, chemical-free pakalolo.
“I am over the moon right now. I am just so thrilled to have a safe product in a safe environment,” he said. “Quite frankly, you don’t know what you’re getting when you get it from a grower. It’s not tested, you don’t know what kind of agents are in it. That’s been my main concern. I’ve been wanting to know what is in this product that I’m smoking as far as bad agents, chemicals. That’s why I’m so excited. I finally get to have a label and see exactly (what’s in it). It’s a safety issue for me.”
Maui Grown is the first to begin selling cannabis among the state’s eight licensed dispensaries. The company passed a final Health Department inspection Monday, beating at least one other dispensary, Aloha Green Holdings Inc. on Oahu, which plans to open today.
The first sale of legal marijuana is a significant milestone for the industry that has struggled to get off the ground since the law establishing dispensaries was passed in 2015. By law dispensaries could open in July 2016, but that was delayed for more than a year, frustrating medical cannabis patients and caregivers.
“It’s been a long, winding road to get here and we’re extremely excited,” said Dr. Gregory Park, who co-founded Maui Grown Therapies at the Maui Lani Village Center at 44 Paa St. in Kahului. “Getting to this day required hard work, cooperation and patience, but it’s worth it to be able to bring this alternative therapy to our Maui community.”
At least three dispensaries have had marijuana ready to sell but couldn’t open until the state certified an independent laboratory to test the potency and purity of the drug. The Department of Health last week certified the state’s first pakalolo testing lab, Steep Hill Hawaii on Oahu.
Following the lab certification, Maui Grown Therapies notified its nearly 300 registered patients that cannabis samples were on the way to Honolulu for mandatory testing. The dispensary had been registering patients since July, and had a “soft opening” Tuesday with sales by appointment only for those patients before opening to the general public on Monday.
The dispensary opened with at least six strains of weed available for sale and will have about 10 strains by Monday, said spokeswoman Teri Gorman. The company shelved a plan to begin selling derivatives such as oils, lotions and tinctures because the lab is not certified to test manufactured products. Prices start at $19 a gram.
“It’s going to help more of the community like senior citizens and other people that don’t have access to the black market,” said Makawao resident Jerry Labb, 67, who uses the drug to stimulate his appetite, which he lost because of cancer treatment. “It really saved my life. The cancer drugs made me not hungry at all. I lost almost 50 pounds when I was first diagnosed a year and half ago. I’ve gained about 30 pounds. It also helps me relax and puts me in a great frame of mind. It’s going to be very good for the community overall.”
Medical marijuana was legalized in Hawaii in 2000, but patients had no legal way to obtain the drug. As of July 31 there were 18,004 registered patients, including about 4,000 on Maui.
“It’s extremely exciting. It can almost make you cry, I’m so happy for everyone,” said Mike Herbert, a 54-year-old Kihei resident who was among the first dispensary customers. “I’m happy for everyone in the state of Hawaii. It’s been a long time coming. We had to be patient and we endured.”
