The Hawai‘i Dispensary Alliance is pleased to announce the release of the September-October 2016 Edition of the HDA Industry Update. This unique, members-only resource is the premier industry publication written exclusively for Hawai‘i’s medical marijuana industry.
In this issue, we present a number of different articles that will appeal to dispensaries, patients, doctors, and related businesses alike.
In the first article we present our recent recap of the industry’s first Legislative Oversight Committee meeting as established by the legislature in Act 230 (2016). In this article we review an update of the dispensary and the registry system as provided by DOH and we learn about the topics the industry will consider recommending for future legislative action. You can also read this article on our website. If you are interested in the future of the industry, make sure to read over these topics and let us know which ones the Committee should prioritize, what resources the Committee should evaluate, and what your opinion or view is so that the Committee can consider it!
Our next article features an interview with one of HDA’s leading members and international locations platform Weedmaps. This interview with CEO Doug Francis provides important information for Hawai‘i dispensaries, patients, and doctors about the direction of the medical marijuana industry on the mainland, and how we might be able to benefit from those advances in Hawai‘i. Weedmaps’ focus on patient and doctor education is especially notable.
Our third article was written by one of HDA’s physician members, Dr. Norm Goody, and is the first of a two-part series examining the medical nature of marijuana. In this first section, Dr. Goody answers the questions “What makes a substance medicine and why is the medicinal value of cannabis controversial?”. Next month, Dr. Goody will describe the differences between medical and recreational cannabis use, so that the industry can make informed decisions about protecting and expanding medical marijuana use and education.
In this issue, we are advertising for an upcoming continuing medical education event directed at nurses. This event will feature local speakers and national CEU provider Patients Out of Time and their certified Nursing CEU curriculum regarding the medical efficacy of cannabis and the healthcare professional’s role in patient care and education. The even will be hosted at the HDA offices and sponsored by Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i and the Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawai‘i. Doctors, nurses, and the general public are all invited to attend – details and pricing are available here.
This issue’s final article evaluates the federal government’s current position on medical marijuana, the role played by the Controlled Substances Act, and the future legislative priorities of industry friendly organizations lobbying at the national level. This article provides a lot of useful information on the DEA’s recent decision to leave marijuana on CSA Schedule I, the industry’s response, and future initiatives to change this decision. The article features Rob Kampia, co-Founder and Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project, the largest marijuana-policy-reform organization in the nation. Even as we develop our own rules and industry here in Hawai‘i, it is important to stay informed of national changes that could impact every aspect of our state industry.
Finally, make sure you check out the Calendar at the end of the Update. It is rapidly filling up with industry and educational events scheduled for the next few months!
It is the Alliance’s mission to provide up-to-date and relevant industry information to the patients, dispensary applicants, and related businesses of Hawai‘i’s growing medicinal cannabis industry. If you are not yet an Alliance member, join today to receive the HDA Industry Update every month and to take an active role in the future of Hawai‘i’s medical marijuana industry. Contact us today and we will send you this Sept-Oct 2016 edition of the Industry Update absolutely free to say thank you for your interest! You can also find us on Facebook or Twitter.