STAND. COM. REP. NO. 52-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1797

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1797 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure to improve patient access to medical cannabis by authorizing naturopathic physicians to provide written certification for medical cannabis use to qualifying patients.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Board of Naturopathic Medicine.

Your Committee finds that every day, two hundred Americans die of a drug overdose. However, medical cannabis can be a safe alternative to opioids or other harmful drugs that are devastating to communities. Adding naturopathic physicians to the provider types eligible to certify patients for medical cannabis use will increase access to health care and benefit the people of Hawaii for whom medical cannabis may be a good therapeutic option.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1797, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1797, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair