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(808) 321-3793
Medical Marijuana of Hawaii, by Hawaiian-Pacific Pain and Palliative Care
ALL CLINICS ARE OPEN NOW FOR NEW PATIENTS AND FOLLOW-UP CARE.
WE WILL BE CLOSED MAY 27TH TO MAY 31ST, AND THEN REOPEN JUNE 1ST IN WAIMANALO.
Latest NEWS and NOTICE TO ALL PATIENTS IN HAWAII:
THE WAIMANALO OFFICE IS OPEN FOR "BLUE CARDS" EVERY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FROM 1 PM TO 5 PM AND SATURDAY MORNING FROM 9 AM TO 12 NOON. WE SEE THOSE PATIENTS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS ONLY, SINCE NO ONE MUCH COMES ON TIME ANYWAYS. NEW PATIENTS NEED TO BE PRESCREENED BY CONTACTING ME WITH THEIR NAME, AGE AND CONDITION (REASON FOR THE CARD). IN ADDITION, IT WOULD HELP OUT GREATLY IF PEOPLE WOULD TELL ME FROM WHICH ISLAND THEY ARE CALLING.
IN ADDITION, I RECOMMEND BOTH: 1. FILLING OUT THE CONTACT BOXES ON THIS WEBPAGE AND 2. MAKE AN ACCOUNT WITH US TO THE RIGHT ON THIS PAGE AS WELL.
The Current legisltive session is proving quite beneficial to the medical cannabis program. See the Cannabis News tab for more information on the 2013 sessions.
Please call with an 808 area code phone. Otherwise, text me. Recent news: The Waimanalo location will be the only Oahu Office for the near future. On Maui, the Lahaina office in Dickenson Square has opened along with the Haiku location. See the Locations tab, for more instructions on addresses and directons to the office.
IN ADDITION, WEEKLY CLINICS ARE AVAILABLE FOR KAUAI. OTHER ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE FOR MOLOKAI THROUGH MALAMA FIRST,LLC. THESE ARE FOR HAWAII RESIDENTS ONLY.
WE SUPPORT THE USE OF TELEHEALTH FOR PATIENT FOLLOW-UP AND RESEARCH PURPOSES. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY OF OUR CHRONIC PAIN RELATED RESEARCH PROJECTS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
Please read this entire page before calling.
FOR OUT OF STATE GUESTS (Tourists): Please note that there are NO dispensaries or places to legally buy cannabis anywhere in Hawaii. There is nothing I or any other MD can do to help you be legal while visiting our state. It takes about 4 to 6 weeks for residents to get their licenses from the state, and you MUST be a Hawaiian resident to apply. IN HAWAII, THERE ARE NO DOCTOR RECOMMENDATIONS SUCH AS IN CALIFORNIA. THERE ARE NO "SCRIPTS"or such, and there is NOTHING A DOCTOR CAN GIVE YOU OR DO FOR YOU TO BE LEGAL WHILE VISITING. There is only the BLUE CARD LICENSE, which is more like getting a driver's license than a medical prescription. You must be a Hawaiian resident with HI ID, HI Driver's License, or US passport to get a Hawaii Medical Cannabis Card. (Military IDs or other US State IDS are not accepted by the Narcotics Enforcement Division) Cannabis Cards from other states are NOT recognized here, nor are they proof of medical need. There are no places to legally buy medical cannabis anywhere in Hawaii. You have to grow your own here, or have someone else (caregiver) grow it for you. There is no legal mechanism to help you be legal while in possession in Hawaii. Lastly, I do not give legal advice to patients, other than to "obey the law". I do not make connections for anyone ever!! Again, for the third time, there are NO DISPENSARIES on any islands, especially MAUI, inspite of what you may read on the internet. ((After reading all this, why do you guys keep on calling us?))
FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF HAWAII: Remember, the "Blue Card" is for disabling medical conditions. You must have a legitimate history of this severe medical condition, backed by a reliable medical history. ONE NEEDS TO HAVE A CAUSE AND ITS TREATMENT HISTORY. Although I have been very hesitant to say publicly, the current legal and political situation is such that the "Blue Card" has become somewhat so "cliche" that many State Judges are now requiring a legitimate Medical Physician Statement to back up the "Blue Card" in any legal issue. From my patients' experiences statewide on all the islands, I am getting the impression that the environment has become very difficult and toxic from the fear of the helicopters and local law enforcement. My only solution is to tell everyone to "obey the law", and stay within your legal limits. The ACLU is interested in any case where your civil rights have been violated, such as searches without Warrants. I have and am currently involved with the ACLU on several issues of importance to the medical cannabis program and civil rights. The truth is that the current US administration has unleashed the Federal Prosecutors, who are out to destroy all of the Medical Cannabis programs in all the Legal States. Things are not getting better. They are getting worse! You must become politically active and lend your voice if you hope to preserve the program. You can write anyone of importance politically online which is very easy to do. ( And I do assume that they will read this)
In Hawaii, the medical decision to issue a "Blue Card" is being dominated by the political and legal realities of the day. With this in mind, if you call me up and I tell you I can NOT help you, don't call me an "a$$hole". This is my reply to the 25 year old kid who did! and hung up on me: It is not because you are not helped by the use of medical cannabis for your condition. It is because you have not done your part to satisfy the tenets of the law and the current political realities. Remember, you are NOT in California, Washington State, or Colorado! Hawaii and her judges do not care whether you have cards from any of the legal states. All of my patients are legitimate and we work very hard to keep it that way. I am extremely involved politically with the program at the State level, and I want to see its existence preserved for my Chronic Pain patients. I need this integrity in order to fight for the cause at the state level. If you are unhappy at my decision, you are free to find and consult with any other physician in the state, and on any other island. I am not the final word. I just will not fight for you or spend my resources legitimizing your case.
Our fees are set low to aid Native Hawaiians, THROUGH MALAMA FIRST, not to make a living out of this business. I do not support myself by this business. Anyone can come to see us, but I am not going to spend my time fighting for young people wanting to use it for recreational purposes. That is the bottom line. I am here to protect legitimate chronic pain patients. The political realities are that if you are under the age of thirty, you better be able to defend it as if you were before a judge (Because it just may turn out that way, and I have the experiences of that situation to prove it.) Hawaii is a small state. Every State Judge knows what is going on, and you can be sure that law enforcement has told them that there is widespread abuse and fraud by thousands of young people (whether true or not!) These same local law enforcement agencies along with the state have published propaganda (which I will make available to anyone) claiming that "medical cannabis is not a medicine. It is an addiction". Only the truth can counter act and prevail over such gibberish. You better make sure your doctor has the legitimacy and medical expertise to back up your claims.
On Oahu, my main office is located in Waimanalo in the Village of Pu'uhonua O Waimanalo. I maintain set hours for BLUE CARD evaluations in WAIMANALO ONLY every WEDNESDAY afternoon from about 1:00 PM to 5 PM, and every SATURDAY morning from 9 AM to 12 Noon. I DO NOT set appointments for this clinic and these times. They are open and people are seen on a first come first serve basis. Most patients call or contact me beforehand to be pre-screened so that no one's time is wasted. Also, call to make sure the clinic is open those hours as I travel in my work for Malama First, LLC. Also, I have satellite offices on Maui, Kauai, and Molokai.
Also, please email us with questions about card and application status. You must be a resident of Hawaii with either ID, Driver's License, or US Passport to get a "Blue Card". Out of state residents have NO legal protection in Hawaii. The law allows those Hawaiians with "Blue Cards" to grow seven plants only, and possess up to three ounces at any one time. If you are caught either overgrowing or over possessing, you have NO PROTECTION. Furthermore, you may get your card revoked and never be able to get another again in your whole life!
The above number (808) 321-3793 is for scheduling only. If the scheduling line is on answering mode for any reason, please feel free to call me personally. Just fill out the above registration fields, and an auto-responder letter will include instructions in how to call my cell number. It is best to call me between One P.M. and five P.M. (If I am unable to answer, leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible in order to get you pre-screened).
“It is ILLEGAL for physicians in Hawaii to enable the procurement of Medical Cannabis. Since I maintain US Federal DEA licenses, please do not ask me or my staff about how to get Medical Cannabis”. We are NOT a dispensary. Dispensaries do not exist in Hawaii. The sale of marijuana is illegal in Hawaii under all circumstances. The role of the physician in Hawaii is to establish a true doctor-patient relationship that may lead to documenting for the state application that you have a disabling medical condition that is accepted by law, as established by the Hawaii State Legislature. This leads to the issuance of a State Medical Cannabis License, or "BLUE CARD", by the Narcotics Enforcement Division of the Department of Public Safety, which currently takes about one month. Unlike many other states, the physician can't issue any documents that provide legal protection. The "Blue Card" is the ONLY acceptable legal document recognized in Hawaii, on each and every island.
Generally speaking, those accepted diagnoses are Malignant Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Glaucoma, Profound Wasting Disorders, Chronic Nausea, Chronic disabling severe Pain of All Sites, Chronic disabling Muscle Spasms (and similar spastic disorders, like even Asthma under certain conditions), Seizure Disorders, Inflammatory Bowel Disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Headache, Painful Neuropathies and Fibromyalgia, and Migraines. Also, many war/combat and service related injuries, illnesses and traumas do qualify!
Insomnia, Sleep Disorders, and ALL PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL related problems such as Depression, Anxiety, and ADD, DO NOT QUALIFY under Hawaiian law. There was a legislative bill to allow Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, to be a qualifying diagnosis, but it did not get a hearing in the house, in spite of all the combat and service related injuries and traumas experienced by our brave soldiers, who have separated from the military. Please be politically active and voice support for that bill in the next attempt. Mahalos to Sen. Wil Espero of Ewa Beach for introducing and supporting that bill along with all the other compassionate supporters.
Our fees continue to remain as low as possible. In fact, we have lowered the renewal fee to $150.00. The new patient office fee is $175.00. The State requires a separate $25 money order be attached to the application as a processing fee. We request that you purchase the money order prior to your office visit and bring it with you to the clinic. These are easily obtained at 7-Eleven or the US Post Offices. We continue to not charge extra for caregivers card processing as part of the original application. Some places charge as much as an extra $100 or more for the caregiver card. We do charge for changes in caregiver's cards after the original application is processed.
This is a cause for us and the fees barely cover our costs. Part of the fees goes toward promoting Native Hawaiian programs.
All who have come to the Village of Pu`uhonua O Waimanalo have enjoyed the peace and serenity of the country side village, nestled next to the Ko'olau and Olomana Mountains.You can walk the paths to the Taro gardens and fish ponds, and learn about Native Hawaiian culture. All have expressed how wonderful a place it is to visit and view the windward side and ocean.
All applications, cards, and other NED issues are being handled by our very competent staff, who process the applications and mail the Blue Cards out as quickly as possible and are based in my Waimanalo office. Your charts are based in the Waimanalo office in a secured fashion according to HIPAA guidelines.
Questions are best directed by email to HawaiiPain@gmail.com. The length of time it takes the NED to process licenses is still in flux! I have been told by the NED to stop telling patients to call them, the NED, about the status of cards. There is only one NED person assigned full time to the Medical Marijuana program. The NED stopped doing temporary letters last year. I am working with the ACLU to monitor the response time of the NED, which is directed by law. ALL blue cards that we receive are quickly mailed to their owners. READ MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM HERE.
The Hawaii Narcotics Enforcement Division has recently changed two items: First, the fee for the state application has been reversed back to $25, immediately.
Also, they are now processing applications much faster for all newer applicants. Blue cards are now being received about four to five weeks after submission. The backlog of many patients FROM LAST SUMMER was being processed by another group within NED and I have been told by the NED that they have finished that task.
IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR CARD, THEN IT MOST LIKELY MEANS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN PROCESSING YOUR CARD BECAUSE OF AN APPLICATION ERROR OR ADDRESS PROBLEM, OR AN INCORRECT ADDRESS WAS GIVEN. PLEASE KEEP US UP TO DATE WITH ACCURATE ADDRESSES AS THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN THE PROCESSING OF CARDS.
Second, the NED has stopped sending out the quick temporary license letters since the "blue cards" are being issued more quickly. All renewals should now plan on being seen in the clinic two months ahead of the expiration date.
We continue to work with the ACLU to preserve and progress the rights of all Hawaiians within the confines of the laws written and passed by the Hawaii State Legislature. The ACLU has been involved in all these issues, and, most recently, even preserved the traditional rights of physicians to visit and care for those home bound patients who use cannabis for their chronic symptoms and disabilities. We all need to appreciate and thank them for their hard work. You can do this by visiting ACLU's Facebook page.
See news section for more commentary or follow me at FACEBOOK: look for Doctordave Barton.
Medical Marijuana of Hawaii is brought to you by Hawaiian Pacific Pain and Palliative Care (HIPPPC.com) While based on Oahu, we have satellite clinics for patients on Kauai and Maui. Currently, arrangements are being made for associated Malama First clinics on other islands.
We offer more than just a signature on your Hawaii Medical Marijuana Program application. At Hawaiian-Pacific Pain and Palliative Care, you will be seen by a board certified Pain Medicine Physician with nearly three decades of clinical experience. Cannabinoid Medicine is serious medicine, and needs to be taken seriously. As recognized by the US National Institutes of Health/ National Cancer Institute: The potential benefits of medicinal Cannabis for people living with cancer include antiemetic effects, appetite stimulation, pain relief, and improved sleep. In the practice of integrative oncology, the health care provider may recommend medicinal Cannabis not only for symptom management but also for its possible direct antitumor effect. Perhaps the greatest application for the medical use of cannabis is in end of life care, where the family must take the responsibility of encouraging this therapy, due to federal limitations in its use by official federally underwritten hospice programs.
You do not need any intermediate services, promising to "facilitate" the acquisition of your card. I would also avoid those providers who come to the Islands for day clinics from other states, once a month or so, even charging over $200 for the medical fee. Some give free evaluations but still charge $250 to "sign and process" the forms. There are plenty of Hawaii based physicians to care for your needs on all the islands. It does not take much work to find a provider based here, and to do it right. You must be evaluated by a Narcotics Enforcement Division certified physician, and all legitimate medical doctors will be able to show you their NED certificate.
Also, the scams that I have seen here on Oahu usually are located in facilities that are clearly not medical offices. As well, it would be wise to stay away from those providers who see patients in groups in private homes or offices, if you want to guarantee that your card will be valid for the entire year. The state regulations are clear that it must be done within the settings of a legitimate medical encounter with the development of a true doctor patient relationship. Some physicians may do otherwise but you do not have to take that risk. Make sure that the program stays legitimate for the benefit of those who truly are in need.
I have heard from a few patients that one provider in Honolulu is promising that he can get the cards to them in 24 hours. I don't know what he is giving them but it is NOT valid. Only the Hawaii Narcotics Enforcement Division (NED) can issue any licenses.
Cannabis medicine is a legitimate alternative to the usual traditional medications being prescribed for pain, muscular spasm, and neuropathy. It is safer and more effective than many, if not all, traditional medications used for a variety of conditions. Our goal is to combine traditional pain medicine therapies with your right to use cannabis in a medicinal fashion. Marijuana can be used legally in Hawaii to treat a variety of other illnesses as well. These are described under Ailments above.
Signed: David J. Barton, MD
