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Spinal Cord Injury and cannabis in Hawaii

The state currently does not list this condition as qualifying, and the program does not provide open-ended physician discretion to add conditions. Verify with the state regulator, because programs change.

Not on the qualifying list
✗ No
LEGAL
Up to 4 oz over any 15-…
POSSESSION
$38/yr
STATE FEE
7–21 d
TIMELINE
Not on the qualifying list. The state currently does not list this condition as qualifying, and the program does not provide open-ended physician discretion to add conditions. Verify with the state regulator, because programs change.

Hawaii statute and program

The Hawaii Medical Cannabis Program is the operating authority for Hawaii patient certification. The authoritative legal text is: Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 329 Part IX: Medical Use of Cannabis. The program portal is at Hawaii Medical Cannabis Program.

What the evidence says about cannabis and Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results from damage to the spinal cord by trauma, disease, or congenital condition, producing temporary or permanent changes in motor, sensory, and autonomic function below the level of injury. Severity and functional impact depend on injury level and completeness. Common chronic complications include spasticity, neuropathic pain, autonomic dysreflexia, and bladder/bowel dysfunction.

For the full evidence base, including the NASEM tier, randomized trial summaries, and symptom-domain breakdown, read the mmjnow Spinal Cord Injury page.

How to qualify in Hawaii

The Hawaii Medical Cannabis Program requires the following registration steps for a Spinal Cord Injury patient (or any qualifying diagnosis):

  1. Get certified by a Hawaii-licensed physician or APRN. Under HRS §329-121 et seq. (Act 228 of 2000), any Hawaii-licensed physician or advanced practice registered nurse with prescriptive authority may certify a patient. Qualifying debilitating medical conditions include cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, lupus, epilepsy, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, PTSD, Crohn’s, and any chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition that produces cachexia, severe pain, severe nausea, seizures, or severe and persistent muscle spasms.
  2. Apply through the Hawaii Medical Cannabis Registry Program portal. The patient creates an account in the Hawaii Department of Health Medical Cannabis Registry Program online portal, uploads the practitioner certification, a Hawaii driver license or state ID, and a passport-style photograph. Out-of-state patients may apply for a 60-day "329 V-card" out-of-state patient registration under HRS §329-123(2).
  3. Pay the $38.50 state registration fee. The annual Hawaii medical cannabis 329 registration card fee is $38.50 (one of the lowest in the United States). Out-of-state 60-day registration is $49.50. The fee for caregivers is included with the patient fee. Hawaii does not currently charge reduced or waived fees for indigent or veteran patients.
  4. Receive the digital 329 card and purchase from a dispensary. Hawaii issues digital 329 cards within roughly 10 to 14 business days of complete application (no physical card; the digital card is downloaded from the Medical Cannabis Registry portal). Patients may possess up to 4 ounces of usable cannabis and cultivate up to 10 plants under their 329 card. Hawaii has eight licensed dispensaries across Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, and Kauai. Hawaii honors out-of-state medical cards under its 329 V-card reciprocity provision.
State registration fee
$38
Physician visit (typical)
$200–$350
Certification to card
7–21 days
Out-of-state patients
Eligible
Minors
Eligible with caregiver

For full Hawaii registration steps, fees, and reciprocity rules, see the Hawaii cannabis-laws page.

ICD-10 code

A certifying physician documenting Spinal Cord Injury for the Hawaii medical cannabis program will typically record ICD-10 T09.3XXA or SNOMED-CT 20662000 in the patient's record. The state registry does not itself collect ICD-10 codes in most programs, but the physician's chart is the audit trail if the certification is later reviewed.

Frequently asked questions

Does Hawaii list Spinal Cord Injury as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis?

No. Hawaii's qualifying-condition list does not currently include Spinal Cord Injury, and the state's program does not give physicians open-ended discretion to add conditions outside the list. Patients with Spinal Cord Injury in Hawaii have limited in-state pathways under the medical program as written. Options to verify and pursue include: petitioning the state regulator to add the condition (where the statute permits public petitions); consulting a physician about whether a co-occurring listed condition could support certification; or reviewing whether the state's program is undergoing legislative expansion. Hawaii program rules change, so verify the current list with the regulator before drawing a final conclusion.

How do I get a Hawaii medical marijuana card for Spinal Cord Injury?

Because Hawaii does not currently list Spinal Cord Injury as a qualifying condition, a card for Spinal Cord Injury alone may not be obtainable in-state under the program rules as written. Step one is finding a physician licensed in Hawaii who is registered with Hawaii Medical Cannabis Program and willing to evaluate Spinal Cord Injury cases. Step two is collecting your records (diagnosis documentation, treatment history, and the ICD-10 code your physician will use) and bringing them to the certification visit. Step three is the physician's certification through the state registry, followed by the patient registration application, state fee, and waiting period before the card is issued. Hawaii honors out-of-state medical cards under its reciprocity rules — uncommon, and worth verifying before relying on it. Verify the patient minimum age with the state program before applying. The authoritative source for the current process is the Hawaii Medical Cannabis Program site at https://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabis/; the state updates fees, forms, and physician registration rules periodically.

What does the evidence say about cannabis for Spinal Cord Injury?

For Spinal Cord Injury, evidence is described as moderate (supportive controlled studies exist but the picture is mixed). The mmjnow condition page for Spinal Cord Injury lays out the current evidence base, including the citations underlying that evidence tier — typically the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus reports, federal agency guidance, and peer-reviewed reviews. Evidence quality is independent of state law: a state can list a condition for which evidence is limited, and a state can decline to list a condition for which evidence is strong. Patients deciding whether to pursue medical cannabis for Spinal Cord Injury should review the underlying evidence (linked on the condition page) and discuss expected benefit, dosing, and risk with a clinician familiar with both Spinal Cord Injury and cannabinoid pharmacology. Cannabis is not a substitute for evidence-based first-line treatments for Spinal Cord Injury; the evidence position above describes whether trial data supports its use, not whether it should replace standard care.

Sources

  1. Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 329 Part IX: Medical Use of Cannabisaccessed May 16, 2026
  2. Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 329D: Medical Cannabis Dispensary Systemaccessed May 16, 2026
  3. Hawaii Department of Health: Medical Cannabis Programaccessed May 16, 2026
  4. Wikipedia: Cannabis in Hawaiiaccessed May 16, 2026
  5. NASEM: The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids (2017)accessed May 15, 2026

    “Substantial evidence that oral cannabinoids are effective for improving patient-reported spasticity symptoms.”

  6. NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Spinal Cord Injuryaccessed May 15, 2026