§329-126  Protections afforded to a treating physician or advanced practice registered nurse.  (a)  No physician or advanced practice registered nurse shall be subject to arrest or prosecution, penalized in any manner, or denied any right or privilege for providing written certification for the medical use of cannabis for a qualifying patient; provided that:

     (1)  The physician or advanced practice registered nurse has diagnosed the patient as having a debilitating medical condition, as defined in § 329-121;

     (2)  The physician or advanced practice registered nurse has explained the potential risks and benefits of the medical use of cannabis, as required under § 329-122;

     (3)  The written certification is based upon the physician’s or advanced practice registered nurse’s professional opinion after having completed a full assessment of the patient’s medical history and current medical condition made in the course of a bona fide physician-patient relationship or bona fide advanced practice registered nurse-patient relationship, as applicable; and

     (4)  The physician or advanced practice registered nurse has complied with the registration requirements of § 329-123.

Have a question? Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-126

  • Advanced practice registered nurse: means an advanced practice registered nurse with prescriptive authority as described in § 457-8. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-121
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Debilitating medical condition: means :

         (1)  Cancer, glaucoma, lupus, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or the treatment of these conditions;

         (2)  A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following:

              (A)  Cachexia or wasting syndrome;

              (B)  Severe pain;

              (C)  Severe nausea;

              (D)  Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy;

              (E)  Severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease; or

              (F)  Post-traumatic stress disorder; or

         (3)  Any other medical condition approved by the department of health pursuant to administrative rules in response to a request from a physician or advanced practice registered nurse or potentially qualifying patient. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-121

  • Medical use: means the acquisition, possession, cultivation, use, distribution, or transportation of cannabis or paraphernalia relating to the administration of cannabis to alleviate the symptoms or effects of a qualifying patient's debilitating medical condition; provided that "medical use" does not include the cultivation or distribution of cannabis or paraphernalia by a qualifying out-of-state patient or the caregiver of a qualifying out-of-state patient. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-121
  • Physician: means a person who is licensed to practice under chapter 453 and is licensed with authority to prescribe drugs and is registered under § 329-32. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-121
  • Physician-patient relationship: means the collaborative relationship between physicians and their patients. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-1
  • Qualifying patient: means a person who has been diagnosed by a physician or advanced practice registered nurse as having a debilitating medical condition. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-121
  • Written certification: means the qualifying patient's medical records or a statement signed by a qualifying patient's physician or advanced practice registered nurse, stating that in the physician's or advanced practice registered nurse's professional opinion, the qualifying patient has a debilitating medical condition and the potential benefits of the medical use of cannabis would likely outweigh the health risks for the qualifying patient. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 329-121

     (b)  For purposes of this section, a bona fide physician-patient relationship may be established via telehealth, as defined in § 453-1.3(j), and a bona fide advanced practice registered nurse-patient relationship may be established via telehealth, as defined in § 457-2; provided that treatment recommendations that include certifying a patient for the medical use of cannabis via telehealth shall be allowed only after an initial in-person consultation between the certifying physician or advanced practice registered nurse and the patient.