Cannabis Legalization Introduced Again in RI - "Social Equity" Part of New Bill

Cannabis Legalization Introduced Again in RI - "Social Equity" Part of New Bill

Legislation has been introduced again to legalize marijuana -- "cannabis" -- in Rhode Island. 

The bill (2022-S 2430, 2022-H 7593) would legalize the sale and possession of up to 1 ounce of cannabis for those age 21 and up, with no more than 10 ounces for personal use kept in a primary residence, effective Oct. 1. It would also allow Rhode Islanders to grow a small amount of their own cannabis at home.

The bill establishes a 10% state cannabis excise tax in addition to the 7% sales tax, plus a 3% local tax for the municipality where the sale takes place.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

It also creates an independent three-member cannabis control commission, which would eventually also assume oversight of medical marijuana, which is currently under the purview of the Department of Business Regulation (DBR). It also establishes a cannabis advisory board and a cannabis office within DBR.

It allows up to 33 retail licenses distributed in six zones statewide, including nine compassion centers that could potentially be hybrid recreational and medical retailers.

The legislation includes measures to "address social equity to reduce barriers to participation for those communities that have long been disproportionately affected by cannabis prohibition."

It uses licensing fees and penalties to fund technical assistance and grants to applicants and communities that have been impacted, and reserves one license in each of the six districts for a "social equity" licensee and another in each district for a co-op. 

The legislation also creates a process for individuals to request expungement of prior convictions for misdemeanor and felony cannabis possession for amounts that have been decriminalized.

Bill Sponsors and Supporters on Record

“The time for Rhode Island to move forward with cannabis legalization is now. This historic shift in public policy will create a vibrant new marketplace in our state and end the failed practice of prohibition, which has caused such harm to so many in our communities. To help address those past wrongs, and to ensure all Rhode Islanders have the opportunity to share the economic benefits associated with legalization, equity is a central focus of this legislation,” said bill sponsor Senator Josh Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence), chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

“It is the right public policy for Rhode Island to make cannabis possession and sales legal. We have been studying legalization proposals here for many years, and we now can look to our neighboring states’ experiences and see that taxing and regulating cannabis makes sense,” said bill sponsor Representative Scott Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence). “I’m especially proud that we have made a very deliberate effort to address social equity through this bill. We have to recognize the harm that prohibition has done to communities, particularly minorities and poor, urban neighborhoods, and ensure that those communities get the support they need to benefit from legalization.”

“I would like to thank Representative Scott Slater, who has worked tirelessly on this legislation,” said House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi. “I want to emphasize that the bill introduced today is not the final product – rather, it is the beginning of the public process of legalizing cannabis for recreational use in Rhode Island. We welcome input from the public as to whether or how we should implement recreational usage, and I expect robust discussions with House membership as well.”

“We are grateful to Speaker Shekarchi, Senate President Ruggerio, and their staff for the many months of work that went into finding common ground and crafting a thoughtful proposal that will end the failed policy of cannabis prohibition and create many economic and social benefits for the state. We’re looking forward to the public discussion on this important issue, and we’re excited that Rhode Island appears poised to join 18 other states that have legalized cannabis for adults later this year," said Jared Moffat, state campaign manager for the Marijuana Policy Project.