Kandice Hawes founded Orange County NORML (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) in 2003 after losing her financial aid due to a possession charge. In the eighteen years since then OC NORML has become one of the most accomplished chapters in the NORML organization earning the Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award at the 2012 National NORML Convention. She currently serves as the chapters Executive Director holding monthly meetings, lobbying and speaking at educational events.

OC NORML has held hundreds of meetings and fundraisers, as well as, organized large expos and conference such as the Medical Cannabis Conference for Seniors in Laguna Woods and the Know Your Rights Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Kandice Hawes was named High Times Freedom Fighter of the month in November 2012. She was also named one of “Orange County’s 100 Most Influential People” by the Orange County Register in 2014 and named one of the “100 Most Interesting People in Orange County” by the OC Weekly in 2015.

In 2014 Kandice Hawes founded and served as the Principal Officer of the Committee to Support Medical Marijuana Ballot Initiative Political Action Committee. The PAC qualified a voter initiative to replace the ban on medical marijuana collectives in Santa Ana and received 54% of the vote in November 2014.

In 2016 Kandice graduated from California State University Fullerton with a degree in Political Science and Public Administration. She currently provides works as the events and community outreach manager for Glasshouse Group.