Other marijuana proposals failed to advance, including bills that would have decriminalized marijuana, transferred the state’s medical marijuana program from the Department of Public Safety to the Department of Health, increased the amount of marijuana licensed patients could possess and created a medical cannabis research program.

The legislation for medical marijuana dispensaries says it’s meant to create regulations so that qualifying patients have safe and reliable access to the drug.

The proposal would start the dispensary program in an unspecified county. A previous version would have put the program on Maui.

The bill is pending before the House Finance Committee.

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SB1458: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/