Kauai to have its first medical cannabis store

Kauai’s first medical marijuana dispensary got the green light Friday to begin sales on the Garden Isle.

Green Aloha Ltd., doing business as Have a Heart, received approval from the state Department of Health to open for business, along with five others that previously opened on Oahu and Maui.

The retail center at 4-1565​ ​Kuhio​ ​Highway in Kapaa expects to sell indica, sativa and hybrid cannabis flower strains when it opens Monday to registered patients and caregivers. It plans to offer cannabidiol (CBD) hash and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) hash, lozenges, tinctures, topicals and other cannabis products at a later time.

“Having a medical cannabis dispensary open on Kauai expands options for registered patients and their caregivers, providing greater access to meet medical needs,” Keith Ridley, who oversees DOH’s dispensary program, said in a news release. “As dispensaries continue to open across the state, we remain committed to working collaboratively with the licensees to protect the safety of patients while ensuring an efficient and thorough inspection and certification process.”

“It’s a privilege to serve the people of Kauai by providing a safe and high-quality product for patients with the medical needs,” said Justin Britt, Green Aloha’s chief executive officer.

The other licensed dispensaries are Maui Grown Therapies and Pono Life Sciences Maui LLC on Maui and Aloha Green, Noa Botanicals and Cure Oahu in Honolulu. Dispensaries on Hawaii island are expected to open later this year.