Weekly news on Hawaii marijuana laws, plus notable Pineapple Express strain news, newest first.
The push to move all marijuana to Schedule III is on hold for now. In late September, the judge overseeing the federal rescheduling hearing paused the proceedings to consider a new Government Accountability Office report on how drugs are scheduled, and federal agencies were asked to respond by mid-October. Medical marijuana sold under state licenses, like Hawaii’s, has been in Schedule III since April. Here at home nothing has changed yet: recreational use is still not legal, possessing up to 3 grams remains a $130 civil fine, and the next chance for new state laws comes when the Legislature returns in January 2027.
The Road So Far
Key moments in Hawaii cannabis law since decriminalization, and the federal changes that matter here.
- January 2020: Possessing up to 3 grams of marijuana becomes a civil violation with a $130 fine instead of a crime.
- 2024: Gov. Josh Green signs a law creating a pilot program to expunge certain cannabis arrests that didn’t lead to a conviction.
- 2025: The State Senate rejects raising the decriminalized amount from 3 to 15 grams, 12–11.
- July 1, 2025: Medical cannabis certification opens to any condition a physician or APRN believes cannabis may help, and dispensaries may sell hemp products.
- December 2025: A presidential executive order directs the Attorney General to pursue moving marijuana to Schedule III.
- January 1, 2026: Hemp sellers must register with the state, and the Department of Health gains power to fine sellers and seize unregistered intoxicating THC products.
- February 2026: House leaders say adult-use legalization lacks the votes this session, and the ballot-question proposal doesn’t advance.
- April 2026: The U.S. Department of Justice moves state-licensed medical marijuana and FDA-approved marijuana products to Schedule III.
- September 2026: The DEA hearing on moving all marijuana to Schedule III is paused while a new federal report is considered.
General information, not legal advice.