Up until this spring, medical cannabis consumers in the Aloha State have not been able to enjoy a customer favorite that has come to help define the cannabis industry: pre-rolled joints. 

But in April 2024, the state of Hawai’i began allowing pre-rolls as part of its medical marijuana program. The popular products have begun showing up in dispensaries all across the state as manufacturers are lining up to claim their share of the fastest-growing segment of the cannabis market, and the No. 1 add-on at dispensaries around the country. 

But the new change is not a full opening of the market. The new regulations include some rules about what exactly a pre-roll can and cannot contain. For example, infused pre-rolls, which feature flower mixed with a concentrate to increase potency and/or flavor, are not allowed, and there are specific rules surrounding the paper used to create pre-rolls. 

History Of Pre-Rolls In Hawai’i 

Medical cannabis was legalized in Hawai’i in 2000 with the state establishing a dispensary program in 2015. There are 14 conditions for which medical cannabis can be used for treatment. 

The program has grown consistently since its opening, with 5,801 new patient applications issued in 2023. That brings the total number of patients with a valid medical cannabis registration to 31,789, with the vast majority (82.54%) citing severe pain as the reason. 

However, until recently, pre-rolls were not allowed as part of the program.  

In 2023 the Legislature passed a bill changing the state’s rules to specifically allow for pre-rolls as a product type. The Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation at the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health was tasked with developing rules for the products, which were approved in March and are now in effect. 

According to a press release from the state, adding pre-rolls to the list of approved products benefits “medical cannabis patients with limited manual dexterity and for whom inhalation is the most effective route of delivery.” 

As part of the process, investigators researched pre-rolls, including health and safety risks, and ultimately decided to allow the products, with a few caveats, according to an email from the Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation. 

Hawai’i Pre-Roll Rules 

Under the new rules for the medical industry, pre-rolls in Hawai’i must contain only flower. No other ingredients, including kief, hashish, or any concentrate, may be added to the product. The papers used must also be “unbleached.” 

“As part of the process, the office investigated and researched the makeup of pre-rolls and any health or safety risks linked with the product,” they wrote in the email. “After conducting this research, the team concluded that pre-rolls made solely of dried processed cannabis flowers rolled in plain unbleached papers with no added color, flavor, or scent would pose the lowest risk of harm to patients.”  

The email cited a recent SC Labs study of California rolling papers that found at least one heavy metal in 90% of the papers tested, with 8% of the 118 products tested containing at least one heavy metal in concentrations above the allowable limits, which would have resulted in a testing failure, and destruction of the product batch. Additionally, pesticides were detected in 16% of the samples with 5% coming in over the allowable action limits. 

“Non-bleached or ‘unbleached’ papers contain fewer chemicals or additives, and so will hopefully be less harmful than bleached papers,” reads the email. 

Pre-rolls are also capped at a maximum size of one (1) gram. 

The state Legislature is also considering an adult-use legalization measure this spring that could lead to the market opening up even further in the coming year. 

Pre-Roll Compliance And Safety 

While many companies offer natural paper pre-rolled cones or unbleached white cones, it is important for manufacturers, as well as those who pack their pre-rolls at home, to make sure their pre-roll supply provider is as focused on safety and compliance as they are. 

For example, producers need to be aware of how the white color of their pre-rolled cones is achieved to ensure that their cones are simply ultra-refined until they are white and not doused in a chemical.  

“Find a supplier that is willing to work with you and do the due diligence to make sure you know ahead of time whether your paper will pass,” says Custom Cones USA Compliance Manager André Bayard. “You’re putting something in your body; make sure it’s high quality.” 

Bayard recommends making sure your pre-roll supplier has copies of the Certificates of Analysis for all of their products showing that they are tested for heavy metals, microbials and pesticides and will pass even the strictest state tests. 

“Work with a company that focuses on those requirements and are trying to set the industry standard with their products,” Bayard says. “Any one issue can be detrimental to your brand reputation.”