What is commercial cannabis cultivation and processing?

Cannabis cultivation is the process of growing cannabis within a regulated environment for the consumption via a medical or adult-use cannabis program. Generally cultivation refers to the agricultural activities associated with the propagation and growing of cannabis. Cannabis processing is when you manufacture finished cannabis products, packaging of dried flowers or manufacture and package cannabis-based products (i.e. extracts, edibles, and topicals). To be able to produce cannabis and cannabis derived products commercially a specific license is required, requirements depend on the state in which you are locating this business.

How much will I need to spend for a cannabis cultivation license and facility?

The fees for a cannabis cultivation license vary greatly depending on the state in which the facility is to be located. Also facility build out costs vary greatly depending on the type of cannabis cultivation facility (indoor, mixed-light green house, outdoor). Depending on the facility type a cultivation facility can range from 2 million to 20 million dollars.

What agency oversees Hawaii’s medical cannabis program?

The Hawaii Department of Health is tasked with overseeing and regulating the medical cannabis program in Hawaii governing both establishments as well as patient registry.

What cultivation types are allowed in Hawaii?

The rules governing medical cannabis in Hawaii require that all cultivation take place in an enclosed indoor facility and that the interior is not visible from the outside.

Are edibles allowed in Hawaii?

At the launch of Hawaii’s medical cannabis program edibles were not permitted for sale. Legislation in 2020 permitted the production and sale of edibles through licensed dispensaries. As of 2022 edible products including cookies, gummies, brownies, and beverages are permitted for production and sale.

Can medical marijuana be transported in between islands?

No, a dispensary is not permitted to transport medical cannabis between islands. Federal law prohibits transport of Schedule 1 substances such as medical marijuana through federal jurisdictions which includes airspace and over water.

Hawaii Cannabis License Solutions

The Cannabis License Experts (or CLE) experienced team will help you to get your Hawaii state cannabis license faster and with an unmatched success rate. Having to repeat your Hawaii medical cannabis license application process will set your business back by months and significantly impact your earnings potential. We’ll help you navigate the Hawaii marijuana business license market and help you on your path to a license to grow cannabis in hawaii and much more by booking your free consultation today.

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Cannabis License Hawaii - Market Overview

Hawaii was the first state to legalize medical cannabis not through a voter initiative. Originally passing in 2000, Act 228 effectively created Hawaii’s medical program. This legislation specifically allowed for cannabis patients and caregivers to grow cannabis at home. Despite early passage, patients didn’t have access to medical cannabis dispensaries until 2015 when a separate piece of legislation (Act 241) passed which regulated medical cannabis licensing in the state. The first Hawaii state cannabis license medical dispensaries began building out in the state in 2016, 8 Hawaii state cannabis licenses were originally issued and allocated by island and the first dispensary opened its doors to customers in 2017. Due to the large amount of state income that relies on tourism, Hawaii has also created a path for tourists to gain temporary access to medical cannabis dispensaries and offer reciprocity to medical cannabis patients from other states.

Hawaii Cannabis Regulations advocates are hopeful that 2022 will be the year that Hawaii moves towards adult use legalization. In 2021, three separate bills were introduced which have now been carried over into 2022.

Book a free consultation today to learn more about how Cannabis License Experts can assist you and your team in the preparation process for when Hawaii expands its Hawaii state cannabis license program.

Hawaii state cannabis license Requirements, Timelines, and Selection

The initial Hawaii state cannabis license application period for medical cannabis dispensaries in Hawaii closed on January 29, 2016 and 8 licenses were granted. The state has not indicated that they are going to be issuing new licenses in the near future and it is likely that the expansion of cannabis licensing in the state will depend on the passage of adult-use legislation. The 8 licensed dispensaries that do exist are permitted to cultivate, process, distribute, and sell to medically licensed patients. The allocation of Hawaii state cannabis licenses was based upon island size. Additionally, to be eligible for a Hawaii state cannabis license applicants had to have at least 51% of ownership be a resident of Hawaii for at least 5 years prior to the application submission.

The issuance of a Hawaii state cannabis license allows for the licensee to establish 2 production facilities as well as 2 dispensary locations.

Hawaii state cannabis license Licensing fees:

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Some of the World’s Largest Brands have Trusted CLE to Support their Cannabis Journey.

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Matthew Caton Yield Cannab

Canna License Experts, and their team were retained by our company to help us along the way with a retail canna license. Brian Wolf along with Kalpna Mistry and their team of experts were there the entire way through the process. Thanks again to Brian and Kalpna for all you support from our family at YIELD Cannab Co.

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We have contacted a few licensing company before I decided to contact with Canna licensing Experts. So far I think I have made the right choice and I am happy with the work they have done for us. The team answer questions promptly and never leave us alone. Not to mention their charge are reasonable comparing the similar type of consulting company and quality of their job.

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Brian and Kalpna at Cannabis License Experts were very pleasant, informative, and knowledgeable regarding licensing. They helped us fill out all the forms needed and guided us through the entire process. I am sure that without their guidance our application would still be in process, or have been dismissed because of some missing information.

Hawaii state cannabis license Licensing fees:

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Total # of Hawaii state cannabis licenses	8
Hawaiian Ethos	Big Island Grown
Green Aloha	Aloha Green
Cure Oahu	Noa Botanicals
Maui Grown Therapies	Pono Life Maui
Basic Demographic Information
Resources include the US Census Bureau, City-Data.com, and any additional relevant resources.
Total # of Counties	77
Total # of Cities/Towns	590 cities, towns, and villages, and 621 special districts
County population in 2019	375,000

Honolulu

Median Age

$45K

Medial Income

$855K

Median Home Price

N/A

Fair Market Rent

Hawaii cannabis Business Climate

Overall, the majority of the state has embraced the formal legalization of cannabis for medical use and advocates in the state are hopeful that adult-use will pass this year. The state initially licensed 8 businesses and has not indicated that it will be issuing any new licenses within the near future. While the current Hawaii state cannabis license opportunities are limited, the expectation for adult use in the state will do extremely well due to high tourism.

Hawaii has been historically listed as a place that is hard to do business just because of the geographical restrictions. That being said the state did move up 3 positions in business rankings of states to start a business in and industries such as cannabis will thrive due to the influx of travel to the state.

Hawaii state cannabis license Financial Requirements

Many States and local jurisdictions require a certain level of liquidity, cash on hand, and /or CPA and/or Bank letters to ensure that Hawaii state cannabis license applicants have the financial wherewithal from the licensing process through to the initial 2-5 years of operations. Hawaii specifically required that Hawaii state cannabis license applicants hold at least $1 million in funding for each Hawaii state cannabis license applied for and that this be held in a bank account or an escrow account. This is common for most jurisdictions as a mandatory part of the Hawaii state cannabis license application.

Real Estate & Zoning

Consideration for regional and local zoning with regard to allowed proximity to certain business types, schools, and other prohibited areas should be researched according to local and municipal rules. Hawaii state regulations require that cannabis businesses locate at least 750 ft from a school or playground. Possession of real estate is often a requirement for licensing prior to Hawaii state cannabis license application submission.

For more information on obtaining a license to grow cannabis in hawaii, the Hawaii cannabis license renewal process and the different types of Hawaii cannabis licenses (i.e. cultivation & medical) book your FREE consultation TODAY

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Applying for a Hawaii Medical Cannabis License and unsure where to start?

Currently the Hawaii cannabis license application period for licensing in Hawaii is closed. New licensing opportunities will come either through the expansion of the existing Hawaii state cannabis license medical program or the legalization of adult-use cannabis within the state. Now is the time to get ahead of the process by defining your business. CLE can develop a preliminary business and feasibility plan to help give an understanding of your business viability within the Hawaii cannabis market and give you a head start in this process.

In order to get started, reach out to one of our regulatory experts today to learn more about Cannabis Business Solutions.