SDZ Today News

Law & Politics

Medical

Category: Rhode Island

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Rhode Island Governor Nominates Three for Cannabis Regulatory Board

May 19, 2023 Published by

The governor of Rhode Island on Wednesday nominated three individuals to a regulatory panel that will oversee the state’s legal marijuana programs.

Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat, announced his appointments to the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission, which “will oversee the regulation, licensing and control of adult use and medical cannabis in the Ocean State,” his office said in a press release.

“I am proud to appoint these three individuals to the commission to ensure Rhode Island’s cannabis industry is both fairly regulated and successful,” McKee said in the announcement. “These nominees bring diverse and relevant experience and I look forward to working with them.”

The three nominees are headlined by Kimberly Ahern, McKee’s pick to serve as chair of the commission and who currently serves as the governor’s deputy chief of staff.

“I am grateful to Governor McKee for his trust in me, and I look forward to the Senate confirmation process. If confirmed, I hope to continue the good work that has already begun in Rhode Island thanks to the leadership of the Department of Business Regulation and the Department of Health for many years. The first six months of adult-use have demonstrated our state’s success in carefully expanding into this new industry. I look forward to working with my fellow Commissioners to regulate cannabis in a manner that is safe, transparent and equitable in the years going forward,” Ahern said in the announcement.

The governor’s other two nominees are Robert Jacquard, currently a self-employed attorney, and Layi Oduyingbo, a managing attorney for a law firm in Cranston, Rhode Island.

“I am truly honored to be selected to the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission and serve as one of its three voting commissioners,” Oduyingbo said in the announcement. “I thank Governor Dan McKee for my appointment, and I am grateful for everyone who supported my candidacy. As a lifelong Rhode Islander and small business owner, I grasp the significance of this new and exciting opportunity to succeed which is now available to businesses operating in this industry. As a commissioner, I will use my business and legal experience to efficiently oversee the regulation, licensing, and control of cannabis and marijuana use in a manner that is cautious, transparent, equitable, and consistent with the laws of our State.”

The governor will now “send these three names to the Rhode Island Senate for Advice and Consent,” according to his office.

Recreational cannabis sales began in Rhode Island in December after McKee signed a measure legalizing pot for adults aged 21 and older last spring.

“This bill successfully incorporates our priorities of making sure cannabis legalization is equitable, controlled, and safe,” McKee said in a statement at the time. “In addition, it creates a process for the automatic expungement of past cannabis convictions. My Administration’s original legalization plan also included such a provision and I am thrilled that the Assembly recognized the importance of this particular issue. The end result is a win for our state both socially and economically.”

The adult-use cannabis market opened for business late last year after McKee announced that five existing medical cannabis dispensaries had been licensed to sell recreational pot as well.

“This milestone is the result of a carefully executed process to ensure that our state’s entry into this emerging market was done in a safe, controlled and equitable manner,” McKee said in the announcement. “It is also a win for our statewide economy and our strong, locally based cannabis supply chain, which consists of nearly 70 licensed cultivators, processors and manufacturers in addition to our licensed compassion centers. Finally, I thank the leadership of the General Assembly for passing this practical implementation framework in the Rhode Island Cannabis Act and I look forward to continuing our work together on this issue.”

The post Rhode Island Governor Nominates Three for Cannabis Regulatory Board appeared first on High Times.

Rhode Island Lawmakers Introduce Magic Mushroom Bill

March 3, 2023 Published by

If the federal government signs off on psilocybin, a pair of Rhode Island lawmakers want the state to be ready to benefit.

The bill under consideration would “decriminalize the use of so-called ‘magic mushrooms’ statewide,” according to local news station WPRI, although that would “[hinge] upon whether the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approves psilocybin as a treatment for chronic mental health disorders.”

“Veterans and many others in our community are struggling with chronic [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder], depression and other mental health disorders that can be totally debilitating,” said Democratic state House Rep. Brandon Potter, as quoted by WPRI. “We should give them the freedom to try every tool available and not criminalize a natural, effective remedy.”

Potter is sponsoring the measure along with state Sen. Meghan Kallman, also a Democrat. It’s familiar territory for Potter.

Last year, Potter proposed a bill that would have also decriminalized psilocybin, although there was no provision in that legislation on FDA approval.

According to WPRI, this year’s proposal “would require the Rhode Island Department of Health to regulate the use of psilocybin as a treatment should it be approved by the FDA.”

“Psilocybin is not addictive,” Kallman said, as quoted by WPRI. “It’s naturally occurring and people have been using it recreationally and medicinally for thousands of years.”

“It is only illegal because, over 50 years ago, President Nixon associated it with his political opponents,” she added. “It’s time to undo that mistake and give our neighbors struggling with chronic mental illness, and all Rhode Islanders, the freedom to use psilocybin responsibly.”

Mushrooms and other psychedelics are fast emerging as the next front for legalization advocates, as the science and medical community continues to uncover more encouraging findings about their ability to treat disorders.

The state of Oregon legalized psilocybin for therapy in 2020 after voters there approved a ballot measure. Two years later, voters in Colorado did the same.

The changes in laws have coincided with a shift in attitudes about the drugs.

A poll in 2020 from the research firm Green Horizons found that 38% of American adults believed that psilocybin mushrooms should be legal in at least certain circumstances.

“When it comes to psychedelics, there are many parallels with the movement to legalize cannabis. In both cases, education is paramount,” Adriana Waterston, Green Horizon’s SVP of Insights and Strategy, said at the time. “Psychedelics, like cannabis, have been tied to a negative, highly stigmatized image for many years. Science, however, is showing us that psychedelics demonstrate tremendous promise for certain chronic psychological illnesses, even those that have been treatment-resistant. As we continue to study psychedelics and evidence for their benefits mounts, we can expect support for legalization to follow.”

The poll found that 25% of Americans believed that psilocybin mushrooms should be legal under limited circumstances –– perhaps as a medical or religious practice –– while 13% think they should be legalized outright.

As WPRI noted, “Current federal law classifies psilocybin as a Schedule 1 drug alongside fentanyl and cocaine, both of which are highly addictive,” while state law in Rhode Island puts the hallucinogen in the same category as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.”

The post Rhode Island Lawmakers Introduce Magic Mushroom Bill appeared first on High Times.

Pet Medical Cannabis Bill Introduced in Rhode Island

February 22, 2023 Published by

Lawmakers in Rhode Island introduced a bill allowing pets to use medical cannabis if and when it is certified by a licensed veterinarian. House Bill 5504, or the Edward O. Hawkins And Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act, was introduced Feb. 10 in the Rhode Island House, then referred to the House Health & Human Services Committee.

NBC 10 News in Rhode Island reports that this marks the second time the bill was introduced. The Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association (RIVMA) didn’t support the bill in 2021, and most veterinarians say cannabis hasn’t been proven to be safe. Reps Patricia Serpa and Charlene Lima sponsor the bill along with Reps Julie Casimiro and Deborah Fellela.

“We need to get this dialogue going to see if it will be beneficial,” said Lima. “It might not be, studies have shown THC can be very deadly for animals.” With factors such as a smaller body, and considering that pets break down THC in different ways, it’s rarely a good idea.

The lawmaker acknowledged that lots more research is needed to better understand how cannabis affects pets. “You know how quickly science changes,” she said. “There’s a lot more studies out there now than there was last year when it was first introduced.” 

But some veterinarians think the bill would unleash a Pandora’s box of problems, given the lack of solid evidence to suggest cannabis is safe for pets.

“If it does get passed it’s going to be a really big problem for pets in Rhode Island,” said Dr. Shelly Pancoast, emergency vet and president of the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association.

Pancoast reminded the media how THC is considered toxic for pets when ingested and has significantly different effects.

“They get pretty severe neurological signs and can sometimes look like they’re dead or in a coma,” explained Pancoast.

Dr. Ralph Pratt, on the board of directors for RIVMA, compared cannabis to acetaminophen (in 2021), which is completely safe for humans but dangerous to pets.  

For years, people have been treating their pets with medical cannabis—primarily CBD—products with anecdotal reports of success for treating everything from seizures to stress. The science is beginning to mount.

CBD but not THC for Pets in Most Cases

The general consensus appears to be that pet owners should never give their pets THC, with potential bad outcomes, but that CBD is likely less harmful. 

Allowing medical cannabis for pets is a relatively new concept. Only a tiny handful of states offer any sort of protection.

Only California currently gives veterinarians a Get Out of Jail Free pass, explicitly allowing them to discuss medical cannabis without fear of repercussion. Assembly Bill 2215, which was passed and signed into law in late 2018, paved the way for Senate Bill 627, by allowing veterinarians to discuss medical cannabis treatments with pet owners. It prevents the state Veterinary Medical Board from taking special enforcement actions against vets who recommend cannabis products, such as CBD oil.

What is considered cruelty when it comes to pets and cannabis? Most organizations, such as the Anti-Cruelty Society, seem to give CBD a pass but note that THC breaks down in a very different way in animals and can be dangerous. “CBD found in cannabis pet supplements is usually sourced from hemp, a variety of cannabis that naturally contains extremely low concentrations of THC, which is the main psychoactive compound found in marijuana. As a result, CBD is non psychoactive and appears safe to be used on pets,” the organization wrote.

More states will likely follow the path of California and Rhode Island with protections for veterinarians. 

The post Pet Medical Cannabis Bill Introduced in Rhode Island appeared first on High Times.

Rhode Island Bill Attempts To Prevent Cannabis Gatherings of More Than Three People

February 15, 2023 Published by

S-125 was introduced in Rhode Island on Feb. 1 by six senators: Sen. Walter Felag, Sen. Leonidas Raptakis, Sen. Frank Ciccone, Sen. Lou DiPalma, Sen. Susan Sosnowski, and Sen. Dawn Euer (Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee). If passed, the bill would make it illegal to have cannabis present in gatherings, which is defined in the bill as “where a group of three or more people have assembled or are assembling for a social occasion or social activity at a resident or premises.” For the first offense, offenders will be charged $500, followed by $750 for the second offense, and subsequent offenses set at $1,000.

Lovewell Farms, the state’s only USDA organic hemp farm, posted about the bill and its effect on residents on Feb. 11. “Red Alert! Check out this new cannabis bill introduced into @RISenate by Senators Felag, Raptakis, Tikoian, Ciccone, DiPalma, & Sosnoswki! It creates a monetary fine for hosting 3 or more people on private property to smoke “m*rijuana,” Lovewell Farms wrote.

The bill in its current form, would limit more than cannabis. It also includes other “Hallucinogenic Substances” such as ibogaine, peyote, and psilocybin.

Lovewell Farms also pointed out that Rhode Island’s adult-use cannabis sales began last year on Dec. 1, 2022, but a bill such as S-125 directly clashes with the current law. “Now, this is all very strange considering the State regulated adult use of cannabis last year,” Lovewell Farms continued. “In fact, in that bill it specifically prevents adults from being penalized for possession or consumption of cannabis—but that’s exactly what this new bill does!”

According to the 2022 Rhode Island Cannabis Act, the law protects residents who use cannabis for personal use. “Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person twenty-one (21) years of age or older shall not be arrested, prosecuted, penalized, sanctioned or disqualified under the laws of the state in any manner, or denied any right or privilege and shall not be subject to seizure or forfeiture of assets…”

Citing an ACLU Rhode Island report from 2014, Lovewell Farms addresses how a bill like this would negatively affect people who have already been targeted unjustly due to the War on Drugs. “Also keep in mind that Black people in Rhode Island are 8x more likely to be arrested (or fined) than non-Black people—that’s more than Ferguson, MO! What would implementation of this law look like? Probably disproportionate fines for people of color.”

Lovewell Farms calls for advocate action against the bill, providing data and contact information for the bill sponsors. “So PLEASE! Make a call to these Rhode Island State Senators listed below and let them know that this bill is terrible! We need to stop spending state & municipal funding chasing cannabis consumers. This is a waste of money—we have already decided adults are responsible enough!”

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee signed the state’s cannabis act into law in May 2022.

During the first week of adult-use sales in December 2022, Rhode Island collected $1.6 million in total revenue between recreational ($786,000) and medical ($845,400) sales.

In the recently released Americans for Safe Access 2022 State of the States report card, Rhode Island received a B- for the implementation of its medical cannabis program. “This year, Rhode Island doubled the number of dispensaries in the state,” the ASA wrote. “While this is a big boost to patients, Rhode Island policymakers should also be aware that more than 6 dispensary locations are necessary to serve medical cannabis patients in the state.”

Rhode Island is one of only two other states, Connecticut and Maryland, which received the same score (also the highest score provided to any states in the U.S. this year). Most other states earned C, D, and F scores.

The post Rhode Island Bill Attempts To Prevent Cannabis Gatherings of More Than Three People appeared first on High Times.

Rhode Island Rakes In $1.6 Million in First Week of Recreational Pot Sales

December 12, 2022 Published by

Rhode Island’s new adult-use cannabis market opened for business earlier this month, and so far, business is good. 

Local news station WPRI, citing the state’s Department of Business Regulation, reported this week that “Rhode Island’s six marijuana dispensaries — five of which are currently authorized to sell to recreational customers — collectively sold just over $1.63 million worth of marijuana from Dec. 1 to Dec. 7.” 

“Less than half of those sales were for recreational marijuana, at about $786,000. The rest, about $845,400, were sales to medical marijuana patients,” the station reported. “For comparison, during the last week of October — the most recent full week available prior to recreational sales — the dispensaries collectively sold $1 million worth of medical marijuana.”

Rhode Island legalized recreational cannabis use in May, when Gov. Dan McKee signed a bill that was passed by lawmakers in the state General Assembly. 

The law made it legal for adults aged 21 and older to cultivate and possess marijuana, while also establishing the regulatory framework for cannabis sales. 

“This bill successfully incorporates our priorities of making sure cannabis legalization is equitable, controlled, and safe,” McKee, a Democrat, said in a statement at the time. “In addition, it creates a process for the automatic expungement of past cannabis convictions. My Administration’s original legalization plan also included such a provision and I am thrilled that the Assembly recognized the importance of this particular issue. The end result is a win for our state both socially and economically.”

Additionally, the law “will give courts until July 1, 2024, to automatically expunge past convictions, and those who want their expungement sooner may request it,” the governor’s office explained in a press release at the time.

Late last month, McKee and the state’s Department of Business Regulation’s Office of Cannabis Regulation announced that “five licensed medical marijuana compassion centers have received state approval to begin selling adult use marijuana on or after December 1.”

The five “compassion centers” that were given approval to begin adult-use sales are: Aura of Rhode Island (Central Falls); Thomas C. Slater Center (Providence); Mother Earth Wellness (Pawtucket); Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center (Portsmouth); and RISE Warwick (Warwick).

“This milestone is the result of a carefully executed process to ensure that our state’s entry into this emerging market was done in a safe, controlled and equitable manner,” McKee said last month. “It is also a win for our statewide economy and our strong, locally based cannabis supply chain, which consists of nearly 70 licensed cultivators, processors and manufacturers in addition to our licensed compassion centers. Finally, I thank the leadership of the General Assembly for passing this practical implementation framework in the Rhode Island Cannabis Act and I look forward to continuing our work together on this issue.”

Matt Santacroce, who is serving as interim deputy director of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, said last month that the state was “pleased with the quality and comprehensiveness of the applications we received from the state’s compassion centers, and we are proud to launch adult use sales in Rhode Island just six months after the Cannabis Act was signed into law, marking the Northeast’s fastest implementation period.”

“We look forward to continuing to work with the state’s cannabis business community to ensure this critical economic sector scales in compliance with the rules and regulations put forward by state regulators,” Santacroce said. 

The launch of recreational sales on December 1 was only one change to Rhode Island’s existing marijuana policy to arrive this month. 

WPRI reported that, on the same day, “the state also stopped charging medical patients to obtain or renew their medical marijuana cards,” adding that “there is an expected revenue loss from the pending plan to expunge marijuana possession charges, which will eliminate court fees from those crimes.”

The post Rhode Island Rakes In $1.6 Million in First Week of Recreational Pot Sales appeared first on High Times.

Recreational Pot Sales Begin in Rhode Island

December 2, 2022 Published by

Licensed sales of adult-use cannabis began in Rhode Island on Thursday, only six months after Governor Dan McKee signed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana for adults aged 21 and older. Five stores began selling adult-use cannabis on December 1, with more licensed retailers expected to begin business operations in the coming weeks.

The five retailers who launched adult-use cannabis sales on Thursday were all already licensed to sell medical marijuana to patients registered with the state’s medicinal cannabis program. By the end of next month, two additional so-called hybrid retailers will add recreational marijuana sales to their existing medical cannabis operations. 

Last week, the governor marked the impending launch of adult-use cannabis sales as the December 1 launch date approached.

“This milestone is the result of a carefully executed process to ensure that our state’s entry into this emerging market was done in a safe, controlled and equitable manner,” McKee said in a November 22 statement from the governor’s office. “It is also a win for our statewide economy and our strong, locally based cannabis supply chain, which consists of nearly 70 licensed cultivators, processors and manufacturers in addition to our licensed compassion centers. Finally, I thank the leadership of the General Assembly for passing this practical implementation framework in the Rhode Island Cannabis Act and I look forward to continuing our work together on this issue.”

Recreational Marijuana Legalized In May

Matt Santacroce, chief of the Rhode Island Office of Cannabis Regulation and interim deputy director of the Department of Business Regulation, noted the speed with which state regulators had authorized the launch of recreational marijuana sales after McKee signed legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis in May.

“We were pleased with the quality and comprehensiveness of the applications we received from the state’s compassion centers, and we are proud to launch adult use sales in Rhode Island just six months after the Cannabis Act was signed into law, marking the Northeast’s fastest implementation period,” said Santacroce. “We look forward to continuing to work with the state’s cannabis business community to ensure this critical economic sector scales in compliance with the rules and regulations put forward by state regulators.

State officials are not expecting a surge in cannabis use because medical marijuana has been legal since 2006 and recreational cannabis is available in neighboring states. 

“It’s a good opportunity for Rhode Islanders to buy safe, regulated cannabis products in the convenience of their own town or area of the state,” Santacroce told the Boston Globe. “If you are used to going to Massachusetts or wherever, you can save time and gas. We will generate state and local tax revenue that didn’t exist before. And we have the opportunity to capture value in our market, in our industry, in our supply chain. That’s a big deal.”

Under state law, adults are permitted to smoke cannabis wherever tobacco smoking is allowed, unless the use poses potential harm to children. The legislation passed in May also includes provisions to expunge prior cannabis possession offenses no longer illegal under current law.

Taxes On Recreational Weed Total 20%

Taxes on recreational sales include a 10% state cannabis excise tax in addition to the 7% state sales tax, plus an additional 3% local tax for the city or town in which the sale takes place. Taxes on recreational marijuana sales are expected to generate about $15 million in tax revenues in the first full fiscal year of sales. State officials project regulated marijuana sales to generate about $7.5 million in state excise tax revenue, $5.2 million in state sales tax revenue, and $2.2 million in local excise tax revenue.

Cannabis retailer Mother Earth Wellness in Pawtucket opened three hours earlier than its normal 8:00 a.m. opening time to get a jump on the first day of legal recreational marijuana sales, and the shop’s first recreational marijuana transaction was rung up at 5:18 a.m. The dispensary saw about 300 customers visit the dispensary by mid-morning, about 80% of whom were recreational buyers.

“We’ve had a very successful day,” Mother Earth Wellness co-owner Joe Pakuris told the Associated Press. “I think it has been a smooth transition and the state has done an excellent job of rolling out this program. Everything’s great.”

The post Recreational Pot Sales Begin in Rhode Island appeared first on High Times.

Rhode Island To Begin Adult-Use Cannabis Sales on Dec. 1

November 22, 2022 Published by

Adults in Rhode Island will be able to legally purchase marijuana starting next week.

The state announced on Tuesday that recreational cannabis sales will kick off there on December 1.

“This milestone is the result of a carefully executed process to ensure that our state’s entry into this emerging market was done in a safe, controlled and equitable manner,” Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said in a statement. “It is also a win for our statewide economy and our strong, locally based cannabis supply chain, which consists of nearly 70 licensed cultivators, processors and manufacturers in addition to our licensed compassion centers. Finally, I thank the leadership of the General Assembly for passing this practical implementation framework in the Rhode Island Cannabis Act and I look forward to continuing our work together on this issue.”

McKee, a Democrat, signed the Rhode Island Cannabis Act into law in May after members of the state General Assembly passed the bill.

The governor said at the time that the legislation “successfully incorporates our priorities of making sure cannabis legalization is equitable, controlled, and safe.”

“In addition, it creates a process for the automatic expungement of past cannabis convictions. My Administration’s original legalization plan also included such a provision and I am thrilled that the Assembly recognized the importance of this particular issue. The end result is a win for our state both socially and economically,” McKee said in a statement at the time. 

Per the release from McKee’s office in May, the measure “calls for a 20 percent tax rate, split up into the 7 percent sales tax, a new 10 percent cannabis tax, and a 3 percent tax by the municipality where the marijuana is sold,” while also making “numerous investments in the creation of an equitable, accessible cannabis retail market through the set-aside of certain application fee revenues and the reservation of a portion of new licenses for social equity applicants and worker-owned cooperatives.”

The sponsor of the bill, Democratic state Rep. Scott A. Slater, said at the time that the legislation’s “social equity” component was one of the most important considerations for lawmakers, noting that he represents “some of the communities that have suffered disproportionate harm from prohibition for decades, resulting in generational poverty and mass incarceration.”

“The starting line isn’t the same for people in poor, urban and minority communities, and they deserve support to ensure they get the full benefit of participating in legalization. I am grateful to my colleagues in the General Assembly for recognizing the importance of expungement of criminal records and equity in licensing, because they are absolutely critical to ending prohibition fairly,” Slater said.

In the press release on Tuesday, McKee’s office said that five medical cannabis businesses have been awarded licenses to begin adult-use marijuana sales: Aura of Rhode Island (Central Falls); Thomas C. Slater Center (Providence); Mother Earth Wellness (Pawtucket); Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center (Portsmouth); and RISE Warwick (Warwick).

“We were pleased with the quality and comprehensiveness of the applications we received from the state’s compassion centers, and we are proud to launch adult use sales in Rhode Island just six months after the Cannabis Act was signed into law, marking the Northeast’s fastest implementation period,” said Matt Santacroce, who is serving as interim deputy director of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. “We look forward to continuing to work with the state’s cannabis business community to ensure this critical economic sector scales in compliance with the rules and regulations put forward by state regulators.”

The post Rhode Island To Begin Adult-Use Cannabis Sales on Dec. 1 appeared first on High Times.

Rhode Island’s Legalization

July 25, 2022 Published by

Governor Dan McKee signed Rhode Island’s legalization of cannabis into law on May 25, 2022. Although, the State has had medical cannabis since 2006. The new law allows residents over 21 years old to possess and consume cannabis recreationally. Accordingly, some medical regulations are updated, including how to administer medical cannabis to children. Rhode Island […]

The post Rhode Island’s Legalization appeared first on Cannabis News, Lifestyle – Headlines, Videos & Cooking.

Rhode Island Lawmakers Approve Weed Legalization Bill

May 25, 2022 Published by

The Rhode Island General Assembly approved legislation to legalize recreational pot on Tuesday, culminating years of work by lawmakers and activists to reform the state’s cannabis policy. Democratic Governor Dan McKee is expected to sign the legislation Wednesday afternoon, according to media reports, making Rhode Island the 19th state in the nation to legalize cannabis for use by adults.

After lawmakers passed the bill, Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey thanked his colleagues for their work on the issue, which has resulted in a recreational pot legalization bill to be introduced in the General Assembly every year since 2011.

“This is a truly momentous day for Rhode Island. I’m deeply grateful to Senator Miller for his years of hard work and leadership on this issue, and I’m incredibly proud to have been part of reaching this point,” McCaffrey said, as quoted by the Providence Journal. “Ending cannabis prohibition helps us right past wrongs while creating new opportunities for all Rhode Islanders. This is the right move, at the right time, for our state.”

The legislation legalizes possession of up to one ounce of cannabis by adults aged 21 and older. Possession by adults of up to 10 ounces is permitted in a private home, as is the cultivation of up to three mature and three immature cannabis plants.

The bill also includes provisions to expunge past convictions for cannabis possession offenses including civil violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. According to an analysis of the impact of the legislation by representatives of the state court system, as many as 27,000 cases where weed possession was the only charge are eligible for expungement. Court spokesman Craig Berke said last week that “thousands more” cases in which cannabis possession was one of multiple charges could also qualify for relief. The bill gives the state’s courts until July 1, 2024, to automatically expunge the records of all who are eligible.

Recreational Pot Sales Begin December 1

Commercial cannabis cultivation and commerce are also legalized by the legislation, with regulated sales of recreational weed slated to begin on December 1. An earlier version of the measure called for adult-use pot sales to begin on October 1. House Finance Committee Chairman Marvin Abney said the final bill was the product of “months of intense negotiation and collaboration with numerous stakeholders.”

“This bill represents a solid foundation for the regulation of the cannabis industry within our state,” said Abney. “This is a good, strong, fair and equitable bill.”

The legalization bill faced some opposition in both the Senate and House of Representatives, including fears of impaired driving on the state’s roadways. Representative David Place offered an amendment to set cannabis taxes to mirror the state’s 7% tax rate, but the proposal was not approved.

“The primary benefit of legalization, to my mind, is the elimination of the black market and all the corresponding costs that go along with the black market,” Place said. “And we don’t do that with this bill.”

Opposition from representatives of Rhode Island businesses centered on fears that workers would be impaired on the job. Jared Moffat, states campaigns manager for the advocacy group the Marijuana Policy Project, said that employers are protected by the legislation.

“Nothing in the legalization bill requires employees to tolerate marijuana use or impairment on the job or in the workplace,” Moffat said. “In other words, if you catch an employee using marijuana, employers don’t have to accommodate that behavior, and there are typically obvious signs that someone is impaired by marijuana.”

Additionally, employers whose employees perform work that is “hazardous, dangerous or essential to public welfare and safety” may prohibit workers from using cannabis within 24 hours of their shift. Moffat added that employees who use cannabis on personal time should not be discriminated against, similar to protections that prevent an employee from being “disciplined or fired because they enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail on the weekend.”

Cannabis possession will become legal as soon as McKee signs the legislation on Wednesday afternoon. Sales of recreational pot are expected to begin on December 1 at the state’s three existing medical cannabis dispensaries. The bill also authorizes up to six regional recreational cannabis retailers.

“Currently, only the three original licensed compassion centers are up and running, but the sponsors believe it’s possible that at least some of the six more that were recently approved will be open by Dec. 1, and that it is realistic to expect the hybrid licenses that will allow them to sell to recreational users will be approved by then,” reads a statement from the General Assembly.

The post Rhode Island Lawmakers Approve Weed Legalization Bill appeared first on High Times.

Rhode Island Lawmakers Vote To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

May 19, 2022 Published by

Legislative panels in the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives voted to approve a bill to legalize cannabis for use by adults on Wednesday after an updated version of the measure was released by lawmakers the night before.

On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill with a vote of 9-1 while the House Finance Committee voted 12-2 in favor of the measure. The bill’s success in committee sets up a vote on the legislation by the full Senate and House, both of which have been scheduled for early next week.

State Senator Josh Miller, the Senate sponsor of the legislation, celebrated the completion of the amended version of the bill shortly before it was released on Tuesday night.

“For me this has been about a 10-year effort, so it’s nice to wrap it up,” Miller said in a statement quoted by local media.

The identical bills, Senate Bill 2430 from Miller and House Bill 7593 sponsored by Representative Scott A. Slater, would permit adults 21 and older to publically possess up to one ounce of cannabis. The bill also allows adults to possess up to 10 ounces of cannabis in a private location and to grow up to three immature and three mature cannabis plants at home.

The bill establishes a regulatory framework for legal commercial cannabis commerce, with sales of recreational pot slated to begin on December 1. An earlier version of the bill pegged the starting date for regulated adult-use cannabis sales at October 1.

The amended version of the bill also strengthens the measure’s social equity provisions. Under the new version, past civil and criminal convictions for low-level cannabis convictions will be expunged by the courts, which have been given a deadline of July 1, 2024 to complete the process. The previous version of the bill required those with convictions to petition the court to have their records cleared.

“Social equity has been a top concern for us throughout this whole process,” Slater said. “The starting line isn’t the same for people in poor, urban and minority communities, and they deserve support to ensure they get the full benefit of participating in legalization.”

Restorative justice advocates had argued that requiring those with records for cannabis possession to petition the court for expungement made the process less accessible to people from underserved communities. Cherie Cruz of the Formerly Incarcerated Union of Rhode Island applauded the change in a statement.

“The inclusion of state-initiated expungement in any framework of cannabis legalization is one of the most important concrete steps to work towards social justice, equity and repairing the harm of the failed War on Drugs to so many impacted Rhode Islanders,” said Cruz.

The new bill also includes changes for medicinal cannabis patients, including the elimination of fees for medical weed cards and plant identification tags. Adults who grow recreational cannabis would still be required to purchase plant tags.

“The amended bill is a collaborative effort to address concerns about protecting medical use, ensuring fair governance and recognizing that we can’t make this transition without taking action to make whole the communities and individuals who have been punished for decades under prohibition,” Miller said.

Rhode Island Amended Bill Addresses Governor’s Concerns

The new version of the legislation also addresses concerns raised by the administration of Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee, with officials arguing that the bill unconstitutionally gives lawmakers powers to appoint a three-member regulatory commission that are legally reserved for the governor. Common Cause Rhode Island, a nonprofit group advocating for good government, agreed that the provisions violated the constitutional separation of powers.

The amended bill removes power given to the Senate to approve the removal of commission members and for the Senate President to recommend appointments to the panel. But Common Cause executive director John Marion said the bill continues to violate the separation of powers doctrine.

“The Cannabis Control Commission is still constitutionally defective because the governor is asked to pick one of the three commissioners from a list given to him by the Speaker of the House,” Marion said. “The Senate asserted that the original bill passed constitutional muster, but the fact that they changed several provisions in response to previous criticism is an admission that their argument didn’t rest on firm ground.”

In a statement released by McKee’s office Tuesday night, the governor thanked lawmakers for addressing his concerns about the commission.

“While this bill is different than the governor’s original proposal – it does accomplish his priorities of making sure legalization is equitable, controlled, and safe,” spokesperson Matt Sheaff said in an email. “We look forward to reviewing the final bill that comes out of the General Assembly and signing legalization of adult-use cannabis into law.”

Other parts of the bill remained unchanged. Cannabis would be taxed a total of 20%, including a 10% cannabis excise tax, 7% sales tax, and a tax of 3% that would go to local governments hosting licensed cannabis businesses. Local jurisdictions could opt out of allowing retail cannabis businesses by placing a ballot question on the ballot for the November general election, but communities that vote not to allow dispensaries will not be eligible for revenue generated by cannabis taxes. Cities and towns that already have medical cannabis dispensaries would not be able to opt out of hosting retailers.

Both the House and Senate have scheduled a vote on the legislation for Tuesday. After the bill was approved in committee, the governor said that he intends to approve the bill.

“I’ll be willing to sign the piece of legislation if it gets to my desk the way I understand it’s going to be delivered,” McKee said on Wednesday.

The post Rhode Island Lawmakers Vote To Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis appeared first on High Times.