Hawaii is a limited license state and has medical use licensing caps. The department may issue eight dispensary licenses statewide including three licenses for the city and county of Honolulu, two licenses for the county of Hawaii, two licenses for the county of Maui, and one license for the county of Kauai. No dispensary license shall be issued for the county of Kalawao. Further, there is no opt-in or out  local approval required.

Hawaii distributes medical cannabis licenses through a merit system.

Hawaii’s medical framework disqualifies applicants for cannabis licensure and employment on the basis of certain convictions. A person will  be disqualified as an individual applicant for licensure or cannabis industry employment  if the person: (1) Has a felony conviction; (2) Has a conviction related to use, possession, or distribution of drugs or intoxicating compounds; (3) Has a conviction for a crime involving violence; (4) Has a conviction for a crime involving a firearm; (5) Has a conviction for a crime involving theft, or business or commercial fraud; or (6) Has any other background history that the department finds would pose a risk to the health, safety, or welfare of the public or a qualifying patient, considering the nature of the offense, the time elapsed since the offense occurred.

 Same as above. 

Hawaii offers record cleaning remedies for certain cannabis convictions, however, this process is not automatic and requires action from the individual. Qualified individuals can ask the court to expunge cannabis convictions of less than three grams.