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Cannabis in Rhode Island is legal for medical and adult use. Medical use was legalized through legislation approved in 2006, and adult use in 2022.
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Cannabis in Rhode Island is legal for medical and adult use. Medical use was legalized through legislation approved in 2006, and adult use in 2022.
Rhode Island first banned the sale of cannabis without a prescription in 1918. [1] : 475
As of 2012, Rhode Island had some of the strictest mandatory minimums for large-scale cannabis possession in the United States. Possession of more than 5 kg results in a sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and fines of between $25,000 and $100,000. [2]
Bills to legalize marijuana have been introduced in the Rhode Island General Assembly every year since 2011, but have to date been "held for further study" with no action. [3]
The group Regulate Rhode Island (the state affiliate of the Marijuana Policy Project) advocates for legalization. [3]
Following the success of recreational cannabis ballot initiatives in four states and the District of Columbia in 2012 and 2014, advocates in Rhode Island, where there is no public ballot initiative process, pressed their legislature to allow a public vote on legalizing recreational cannabis. In 2016 advocates cited a recent Brown University poll showing 55% of state residents support legalization. [3] A February 2017 poll showed 59% of Rhode Islanders in favor of full legalization. [4]
Bills legalizing any adult use, establishing legal sales, and expunging past offenses were signed into law on May 25, 2022. [5]
In 2006 Rhode Island legalized medical marijuana, becoming the eleventh state to do so. [6] The legislation was passed the year in 2005, winning approval in the state House by a vote of 52-10 and the state Senate by a vote of 33-1. [7] Republican Governor Don Carcieri vetoed the legislation, [8] but the Legislature overrode the veto, by a vote of 59–13 in the state House [6] and 28-6 in the state Senate. [9]
Under Rhode Island law, "Approved Qualifying Debilitating Medical Conditions" for medical marijuana are: cancer, glacoma, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, or a "chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following": cachexia (wasting syndrome); "severe, debilitating, chronic pain"; "severe nausea"; epilepsy or other seizures; "severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease"; and Alzheimer's disease-related agitation. [10]
In June 2009, Rhode Island introduced a cannabis dispensary system, making them the second state nationwide (after California) to do so. [11]
In October 2016, there were 15,470 patients in Rhode Island, along with three dispensaries (which are permitted to grow marijuana for their patients' use). [12]
As of 2019, there are three medical cannabis dispensaries in Rhode Island: Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence, Summit Medical Compassion Center in Warwick, and Greenleaf Compassion Center in Portsmouth. [13]
The Healing Church in Rhode Island is a Rhode Island-based religious sect whose adherents believe that marijuana is a "holy herb" and use it in religious rituals. [14]
The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is the largest organization working solely on marijuana policy reform in the United States in terms of its budget, number of members, and staff.
The Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition (RIPAC) is Rhode Island's non-profit grassroots medical marijuana community. Patients, caregivers, doctors, nurses, health care providers, advocates, lawyers, organizations, and residents all make up a part of the coalition. RIPAC advances discourse, research, and policy related to medical marijuana in four main areas: patient advocacy, professional education, research, and policy development. RIPAC works to protect the medical use of marijuana under state law by facilitating dialogue among patients, medical professionals, law enforcement, and policymakers.
Thomas C. Slater (1945–2009) was a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for 30 years, reaching the rank of Sergeant Major. He ran for office in 1994 and defeated incumbent Republican Representative Mary C. Ross for Providence Representative in the state house, and continue serving until his death in 2009. He was a member of the House Finance Committee, and he spoke against cuts to welfare benefits and children's health care, opposed an executive order cracking down on undocumented immigrants living in the state, and supported new fire codes. Medical marijuana access was a large focus for Slater and one of the final pieces of legislation that he sponsored involved the 2009 legalization of medicinal marijuana dispensaries in Rhode Island.
Jesse Stout is an American attorney and drug policy reform activist. He practiced business law for the cannabis industry with Greenbridge Corporate Counsel. He was appointed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to serve as a member of the San Francisco Cannabis State Legalization Task Force and its successor body the San Francisco Cannabis Oversight Committee. He also recruited employees for cannabis companies, through THC Staffing Group.
The legal history of cannabis in the United States began with state-level prohibition in the early 20th century, with the first major federal limitations occurring in 1937. Starting with Oregon in 1973, individual states began to liberalize cannabis laws through decriminalization. In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis, sparking a trend that spread to a majority of states by 2016. In 2012, Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
Scott A. Slater is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives representing District 10 since 2009.
In the U.S. state of Maine, marijuana (cannabis) is legal for recreational use. It was originally prohibited in 1913. Possession of small amounts of the drug was decriminalized in 1976 under state legislation passed the previous year. The state's first medical cannabis law was passed in 1999, allowing patients to grow their own plants. The cities of Portland and South Portland decriminalized the possession and recreational use of marijuana in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
Cannabis in Vermont as of May 2004 is legal for medical use, and legal for recreational use as of July 1, 2018.
Cannabis in Guam has been legal for medical use since 2015 and legal for recreational use since April 2019. Guam was the first United States Territory to legalize medical marijuana, passing via a ballot referendum in 2014.
In the US state of Montana, cannabis has been legal for both medical and recreational use since January 1, 2021, when Initiative 190 went into effect. Prior to the November 2020 initiative, marijuana was illegal for recreational use starting in 1929. Medical cannabis was legalized by ballot initiative in 2004. The Montana Legislature passed a repeal to tighten Montana Medical Marijuana (MMJ) laws which were never approved by the governor. However, with the new provisions, providers could not service more than three patients. In November 2016 Bill I-182 was passed, revising the 2004 law and allowing providers to service more than three patients.
Cannabis in Utah is illegal for recreational use. Possession of small amounts is punishable as a misdemeanor crime. Medical use was legalized by ballot measure in November 2018, after a CBD-only law was passed in 2014 and a limited "right to try" law was passed in March 2018.
Cannabis in North Dakota is legal for medical use but illegal for recreational use. Since 2019 however, possession under a 1/2 ounce has been decriminalized in the sense that there is no threat of jail time, though a criminal infraction fine up to $1,000 still applies. The cultivation of hemp is currently legal in North Dakota. In November 2018, the state's voters voted on recreational marijuana legalization, along with Michigan; the measure was rejected 59% to 41%. Two groups attempted to put marijuana legalization measures on the June 2020 Primary and the November 2020 elections, but were prevented from doing so by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cannabis in Virginia is legal for medical use and recreational use. The first medical marijuana dispensary opened in August 2020, and adult recreational use became legalized in July 2021.
Cannabis in the United States Virgin Islands is illegal for recreational use, but possession of under 1 ounce (28 g) is decriminalized. Medical use was legalized in 2019 through a bill that passed the Senate 9–4.
Cannabis in New Mexico is legal for recreational use as of June 29, 2021. A bill to legalize recreational use – House Bill 2, the Cannabis Regulation Act – was signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on April 12, 2021. The first licensed sales of recreational cannabis began on April 1, 2022.
Cannabis in New Jersey is legal for both medical use and recreational use. An amendment to the state constitution legalizing cannabis became effective on January 1, 2021, and enabling legislation and related bills were signed into law by governor Phil Murphy on February 22, 2021.
Cannabis in Delaware is illegal for recreational use, though decriminalized for possession of small amounts. Medical use of cannabis is permitted for adult patients with certain serious illnesses.
Cannabis in Maryland is legal for medical use and illegal for recreational use, but possession of 10 grams or less is decriminalized. In 2013, a state law was enacted to establish a state-regulated medical cannabis program. The program, known as the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) became operational on December 1, 2017.