Hawai‘i is facing a real problem: the unregulated sale of synthetic cannabinoids — lab-created compounds like HHC, HXC, THC-O, THC-P, and THC-JD that mimic the effects of THC but are not naturally found in the cannabis plant.
These substances are often sprayed onto flower or infused into vapes and edibles without safety oversight, posing real risks to consumers.
We agree these synthetics should be banned.
But instead of writing precise legislation to deal with these dangerous compounds, House Bill 302 and House Bill 1482 go after the wrong target: natural, federally legal hemp products like THCA — products that are required to undergo the same licensed lab testing as dispensary cannabis.
Here’s what’s not being said: Dispensaries sell THCA too. Yet their lobbyists are framing THCA as “unregulated” — while using that false narrative to eliminate compliant competitors and consolidate market control.
Hemp is a valuable crop, but it’s livelihood is threatened by pending legislation. Pictured is a tent at the entrance of the Marijuana Expo held at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. (Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2015)
That’s not public safety — that’s a monopoly in the making.
And it’s happening through a rushed process that excluded local hemp operators, smoke shop owners, and responsible small businesses — the very people who built this market under the 2018 Farm Bill.
Let’s also be honest: this situation didn’t arise overnight. Years of inaction allowed synthetics to spread, and now the pressure to respond has led to overcorrection.
But bad policy won’t fix bad policy.
We urge Governor Green to veto HB 302, which he is considering — not to avoid regulation, but to ensure we do it right. HB 1482 is not on his veto intent list, unfortunately.
Let’s bring all stakeholders to the table — dispensaries, hemp brands, regulators, patients, and consumers — and create a framework that is pono, fact-based, and built for the future of cannabis in Hawai‘i.
Two bills threaten the state’s legal hemp industry while failing to effectively address the real issue of synthetic cannabinoids. Read More
