Nurses in Hawaii Will Be Allowed to Prescribe Medical Cannabis

Hawaii is one of the USA's paradise enclaves. Although the archipelago is best-known for its beaches, sites and surfers, it is also noted for other things, not least its leading position in the legislative advance for expanding patients' rights to gain access to medicinal marijuana.

In this respect, the state's legislators have drawn a new bill which updates that passed in 2005. Although medical cannabis was indeed legalised in the year 2000, Hawaii has nonetheless had to face up to quite a few challenges since then in order to ensure a full recognition of its patients' rights.

The person in charge of signing the bill was David Ige, the Governor of Hawaii. This measure basically aims to improve existing regulations on the administration of medical cannabis dispensaries. To this one should add one of the advances that has kindled the most interest, whereby nurses will be allowed to prescribe medicinal marijuana treatments at their own convenience.

Prior to the passing of this bill, patients in Hawaii were practically compelled to grow the medicines they needed at home. Getting a prescription was certainly no easy task. As shown by various West Hawaii reports, an approximate 90m% of medicinal marijuana prescriptions are issued by a mere 10 physicians. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the new law means a great step forwards in the recognition of patients' rights. Patients will thus no longer be dependent on the willingness of doctors, who are still reluctant to prescribe cannabis out of fear of retribution from the federal authorities.

Another of the bill's positive aspects is that it contemplates the creation of a working group, whose job it will be to supervise the legislative work, developing measures favouring a continuous improvement of the dispensary system. The group will be composed of experts in various fields, such as state legislators, defenders of the medical cannabis industry, medical staff and, obviously, patients.

Despite the obvious progress made, there is still much room for improvement, as it has been pointed out that the bill signed continues to ban the sale of edible cannabis products and ready-made joints. Nevertheless, patients are generally satisfied with the measures taken. There is still a long way to go, but it would seem that Hawaii is on the right track. All it takes is to continue in this way.