STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2485

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2574

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2574 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to permit board certified pain specialist physicians to prescribe medical marijuana beginning January 2, 2015.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Sustainable Alliance, Ho‘okipa Network – Kauai, and several individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Drug Action Policy Group, Community Alliance on Prisons, Big Island Americans for Safe Access, and four individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health; Police Department, County of Maui; and several individuals.

     Your Committees find that it is difficult for many individuals to obtain a primary care physician in Hawaii, particularly on the neighbor islands.  Due to a shortage of primary care physicians in some areas, individuals who are benefitting from medical marijuana find it difficult to continue to receive a medical recommendation, as do untreated individuals who may benefit from medical marijuana.  Furthermore, some insurance providers and physicians are prevented from recommending medical marijuana under federal regulations.  This measure expands the number of qualified professionals who may prescribe medical marijuana in Hawaii, which will help patients across the State.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Additionally permitting ophthalmologists, oncologists, and board certified palliative care physicians to prescribe medical marijuana beginning on January 2, 2015;

     (2)  Adding a definition of primary care physician;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to January 2, 2015; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2574, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2574, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair