Hawaii Weighing Potential Tourism Impact of Legalizing Marijuana

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 8:35 AM ET, Thu January 29, 2026

Hawai’i is weighing the potential tourism and economic impact of legalizing marijuana.

The State of Hawai’i Department of Health had a report conducted by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting analyzing the potential economic impact of legalizing marijuana across key sectors, including tourism.

According to Marijuana Moment, Hawai’i residents might soon be able to choose whether to legalize marijuana in their state themselves during a referendum this upcoming November.

The report said the state could see a range of $46 to $90 million in monthly marijuana sales by the fifth year of legalization, with a maximum 15 percent tax rate on cannabis products. Tourists might contribute up to $11.5 million per month minimum—citing the important role tourists would play in starting the industry and making money for the state.

The report sent out surveys to two major international source markets for travelers heading to Hawai’i, Canada and Japan, to see what impact, if any, legalizing marijuana would have on its international traveler base.

The survey asked over a thousand Canadian travelers their thoughts on the potential legalization. About 28 percent of respondents had already visited Hawai’i. Of all respondents, 64.5 reported that the legalization of cannabis wouldn’t have any impact on their travel plans.

Of those hoping to visit Hawai’i soon, 52 percent said the legalization wouldn’t change their travel plans, but there might be a small minority that would be more interested in visiting Hawai’i due to the legalization of marijuana.

About 14.94 percent of respondents said they’d be more likely to visit Hawai’i, and 6.57 percent said they’d be much more likely to visit Hawai’i following the legalization of marijuana.

Roughly 14 percent of Canadian travelers said they’d be much less likely or less likely to visit Hawai’i. The reasons they cited was that cannabis use is wrong, makes tourism less enjoyable and a strong dislike to the odor, among other issues.

Over a thousand travelers were surveyed in Japan, with 39 percent having visited Hawai’i at least once. About 57.5 percent of Japanese travelers reported the legalization of marijuana wouldn’t influence their decision to visit the state. Around 48 percent of those who anticipate visiting Hawai’i in the near future also said the legalization of marijuana wouldn’t change their plans.

Sixteen percent of Japanese travelers surveyed would be deterred from visiting Hawai’i due to the perception that cannabis use is morally wrong. Travelers also stated that, since cannabis use is illegal in Japan, it would make them uncomfortable to visit a place where it was legal, and that cannabis use makes a destination less safe to visit.

“After balancing the small share who say legalization would make them more likely to visit against those who say it would deter them, the projected net effect is expected to be modest among those anticipating a future visit,” said the report. “In other words, cannabis policy is not a decisive factor in travel decisions for most respondents in either Japan or Canada.”

Good news for those who’d like to legalize marijuana in Hawai’i.