
Jason Hanley
Owner of Care Waialua Medical Cannabis Farm
- US ARMY Veteran 10th Mountain – Owner of Care Waialua Medical Cannabis Farm
- S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologist 20 years
- Cannabis grower for 22 years, growing multiple states such as Hawaii, California, and New jersey
Biography
From 1989-1991 I served in the US Army 10th Mountain Infantry as M203 gunner in Watertown, NY. In 1989 served in the Multinational Force and Observers (“MFO”), Task Force Sinai a peacekeeping organization in place in the Sinai Peninsula since 1982.
I am the owner of Care Waialau Medical Cannabis Farm, locate on the Island of Oahu, started in 2015, to help provide growing spaces and affordable medical cannabis to the citizens of Hawaii. A total of 4000 patients have called Care Waialua their home and farm. Being a owner of such a large farm, and my responsibility towards medical patients, quickly provided myself with direction towards compassion and cannabis advocacy.
President of the Oahu Cannabis Farm Alliance (OFCA). OFCA was initiated to bring together medical citizens, cannabis businesses in solidarity. OFCA represents over 1000 people and its mission is helps to educate people on cannabis policy and provide support and direction in providing testimony in the legislature relating to cannabis policy that effect medical patients and medical growers.
- Created “Hawaii Medical Cannabis Act” to guide leaders in Hawaii towards a sustainable and grass roots approach towards medical cannabis policy. Created with the help of leaders in the state of Maine.
Evidence
- Oahu Cannabis Farm Alliance
- Maine medical laws
- Hawaii Medical Cannbis Act 2025
- HB602 : RELATING TO THE MEDICAL USE OF CANNABIS.
- SB1595 : RELATING TO THE MEDICAL USE OF CANNABIS.
- Patients fear losing access to medical cannabis
- USA Today. Veterans In Hawaii Battle For Reform Of Marijuana Laws
- Office of the Governor Josh Green, M.D. Executive Orders
- Former State Lawmaker English Sentenced To More Than Three Years In Federal Prison
- The Sunshine Blog: Guess Who Just Got Out Of Federal Prison Already?
- Hawaii announces 8 medical marijuana license winners
Summary
In 2021, SB89 was introduced by Sen Kalani English, on behalf of the dispensaries, to limit cooperatives to 5 patients or 50 plants and remove the caregiver law by 2021. Ultimately forcing patients into dispensaries. Sen. English was found guilty of accepting illegal funds and was incarcerated in federal prison for 20 months.
Care Waialua began lobbying in 2021, and convinced legislators to push the bill back to 2023 until fair laws could be created for cooperative medical farms. After three years of lobbying and providing thousands of patient testimony on how important cooperative grow sites were, legislators refused to make changes to SB89 and the law was enacted January.1 2024
Due to the heavy push by patients for caregivers’ rights, Governor Green Dec. 30, 2023 signed an executive order to protect caregivers who provide medical cannabis to qualified patients, from undue enforcement. Medical proponents agree that the executive order is just a smoke screen to allow the state not to address the pressing issues with cooperative farms and caregiver rights.
In 2023 Care Waialua, with the help of Sen. Awa introduced the Hawaii Medical Cannabis Act of 2023, a replicate of Maine medical statute, but the bill was not heard due to a heavy push for a recreational bill. The recreational bill failed.
In 2024 HB602 and SB1595, The Hawaii Medical Cannabis Act of 2025, has been introduced by Sen. Awa an Rep. Diamond and is awaiting a hearing by the committees to hopefully succeed in building a resilient medical program that allows for easy access to medicine, affordable access to medicine, and provide thousands of local owned cannabis jobs.