Happy Thanksgiving! The Hawai‘i Dispensary Alliance is pleased to release the most recent edition of the HDA Industry Update.  Bringing together experts from across the state and the nation, this unique, members-only resource is the premier industry publication written exclusively for Hawai‘i’s medical marijuana industry.  Join the Alliance today to read the full newsletter!

This month, we are beginning a series that sets out the Alliance’s lobbying platform for the upcoming  2016 legislative session here in Hawai‘i.  This month’s article, “HDA 2016 Lobbying Platform: Paraphernalia Laws”, focuses on a few areas of ambiguity between the new Act 241 and previously existing drug control laws.  As your trade association, we advocate for the issues that members don’t have the time or resources to lobby for on an individual basis. If you see an issue in our platform that you disagree with or have questions about, or if you don’t see an issue that should be there, please let us know! We are only doing our jobs if we are accurately voicing our members’ concerns.

In “Insurance Considerations for Dispensary Applicants”, Medical marijuana dispensary applicants will learn about the types of insurance they will likely need and how to obtain it here in Hawai‘i.  The article also addresses the common concerns of insurance companies and how dispensary applicants can assuage their fear and obtain great insurance coverage to help beef up their applications.

In “Real Estate and Banking”, we continue our series of articles looking at the various relationships that exist between real estate and the medical marijuana industry.  This month’s article specifically addresses the issues that banks, landowners, and tenants deal with when encountering each other and offers specific advice for each stakeholder in the relationship.  Join us next month for a special edition of this series analyzing what sorts of real estate related requirements dispensaries should consider under Hawai‘i’s Act 241

“The Big Myth: Crime Increases After Legalization” organizes much of the current literature and recent studies on the topic from across the US to keep our members and the public informed about reality of decreasing drug related crimes in states that have legalized medicinal marijuana.  This hot button issue needs facts, and your Alliance is here to make sure you get them.

In our last article, “Seed-to-Sale Tracking RFP – What Should Dispensary Applicants Know?”, the Alliance reviews the recent RFP for a state seed-to-sale tracking system to highlight the features of the system dispensary applicants should consider prior to sending in their applications in January. This is one of the only looks we have into the Department of Health’s thinking regarding the regulation of dispensaries here in Hawai‘i.  Join us as we glean what we can about the landscape of the upcoming regulations from this latest information.

Finally, check out the upcoming Alliance sponsored events, with special members discounts on the attendance fees.  Upcoming events include a local venture capital meeting, a safety and extraction process certification seminar, and an information session with a national lobbying organization.  Give us a call to learn more!

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.  Let us know that you are interested in becoming a member and we will send you a free trial copy of last months newsletter!

You can also Contact Us anytime if you have an idea for an article, would like to learn more about these issues, or if you would like to Join the Alliance and receive the monthly HDA Industry Update.  We look forward to hearing from you!

The November Edition of the HDA Industry Newsletter has arrived. Join the Alliance to get your copy!