Hawaii was one of 23 states to launch a government-sanctioned hemp pilot program following the 2014 Farm Bill, which partially legalized hemp under state-based research programs.

Hawaii legalized the plant in 2016, when lawmakers authorized research at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. A year later, Hawaii expanded hemp production to private farmers.

In 2017, Hawaii passed an Industrial Hemp Pilot Program to regulate the cultivation of industrial hemp and distribution of hemp seeds for agricultural or academic research. (HAW. REV. STAT. § 141-32(a) (2017)).

Act 014 was signed into law on August 27, 2020, legalizing the growth of hemp in Hawaii through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Domestic Hemp Production Program. Beginning on November 1, 2020, individuals and entities who wish to grow hemp in Hawaii must acquire a hemp production license from the USDA.

Hemp processing rules and licenses are regulated by the state’s Department of Health. The agency charges processors $500 a year and requires them to be 500 feet away from schools, parks and neighborhoods. The interim rules limits hemp-extract sales to tinctures, tablets, capsules, powders and topicals.

National Hemp Report shows that 17 acres were planted and harvested in Hawaii in 2021.


Hawaii Hemp Industry Infographics


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