STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3173

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2476

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2476, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve patient access to medical cannabis by authorizing naturopathic physicians with the same authority as physicians and advanced practice registered nurses to provide written certifications for qualified patients for the medical use of cannabis.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Naturopathic Medicine, Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians, Klein Natural Health and Wellness Center, and fourteen individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Akamai Cannabis Clinic.

Your Committees find that naturopathic physicians are experts in botanical medicine and medicinal plant chemistry, safety, and efficacy. Botanical medicines comprise the bulk of prescriptions issued by naturopathic physicians from the naturopathic formulary, as determined by the Hawaii Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Medicinal cannabis is a botanical medicine with a significant variety of species and is available to patients in a number of different forms. In addition to their expertise in botanical medicine, naturopathic physicians are primary care physicians who manage prescriptions for many of their patients. Therefore, certifying patients for the use of medical cannabis falls within the scope of practice, education, and training of naturopathic physicians.

Your Committees further find that there are fewer than two hundred physicians and advanced practice registered nurses who have certified the twenty-seven thousand patients in Hawaii for the Medical Cannabis Program. There are approximately one hundred thirty-five naturopathic physicians with active licenses in Hawaii. Accordingly, authorizing naturopathic physicians to the list of providers eligible to certify patients for the Medical Cannabis Program would significantly increase access to health care and benefit Hawaii residents who may qualify for the medical use of cannabis.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2476, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair