KAILUA-KONA — The state Department of Health has issued a notice to proceed to acquire and cultivate cannabis to Hawaiian Ethos LLC for its first production center on Hawaii Island.
The licensee has passed state inspections and met all requirements to begin growing cannabis and to manufacture cannabis products for medicinal purposes at their approved facility. Hawaiian Ethos is the seventh dispensary licensee to complete and operate a medical cannabis production center in the state.
“All of the licensees have worked hard to meet state standards to create a quality industry in Hawaii that provides a safe product while ensuring patient and public health and safety,” said Keith Ridley, chief of the DOH Office of Health Care Assurance. “We will continue to work diligently with Hawaiian Ethos as they complete construction of their second production center and then seek approval for retail sales.”
To receive a notice to proceed from DOH, dispensary production centers must comply with the statutory and regulatory requirements of Chapter 329D, HRS and Chapter 11-850, HAR. This includes building a secure, enclosed indoor facility; operating a computer software tracking system that interfaces with the state’s system and submits current inventory data of all marijuana seeds, plants and manufactured products in the production center; and authorization from the Narcotics Enforcement Division of the Hawaii, State Department of Public Safety.
The opening of Hawaiian Ethos’ planned Kailua-Kona dispensary has undergone repeated delays. While the opening was oncescheduled for February of this year, it was moved to an undetermined date in the summer pending building permit approvals.
Since then, a timeline for opening the dispensary is still unknown.
“Hawaiian Ethos is committed to working with the state and county to comply with all laws and regulations to ensure the health, safety, and confidence of our workers, neighbors, and the entire community,” said Diana Hahn, director of communications at Hawaiian Ethos. “Our goal is to serve Hawaii Island residents by cultivating and producing a safe, consistent, and high-quality product that meets the medical needs of registered patients.”
A total of eight medical marijuana dispensary licenses were issued in April 2016. Three dispensary licenses for the City and County of Honolulu were issued to Aloha Green Holdings Inc.; Manoa Botanicals LLC; and TCG Retro Market 1 LLC dba Cure Oahu. Two licenses for the County of Hawai’i were issued to Hawaiian Ethos LLC and Lau Ola LLC. Two licenses for the County of Maui were issued to Maui Wellness Group LLC and Pono Life Sciences Maui LLC. One license for the County of Kaua’i was issued to Green Aloha Ltd.
Each dispensary is licensed to operate two production centers and two retail sites for a total of 16 production centers and 16 retail dispensary locations statewide. Each production center may grow up to 5,000 cannabis plant—