Rhode Island to vote next week to legalize cannabis

Rhode Island State Senate and House of Representatives Legislative Committees approved the bill to legalize cannabis. The House and Senate will vote on the bill next Tuesday. After the bill was approved in committee, the governor said he intended to approve it.

«I'll be ready to sign the legislation if it comes to my desk in the way I understand it's going to be delivered,» Daniel McKee said Wednesday.

A 10-year project

«To me, this is a 10-year effort, so it's nice to wrap it up,» said Senator Josh Miller, Senate sponsor of legislation.

The bill establishes a regulatory framework for the legal cannabis trade, with the sale of recreational cannabis set to begin on December 1. It allows adults 21 years of age and older to publicly possess up to one ounce of cannabis. The bill also allows adults to possess up to 10 ounces of cannabis in a private place and to grow up to three growing and three flowering plants at home.

The latest version of the bill also reinforces social equity. Previous convictions for low-level cannabis offences will be erased by the courts, which have been given a deadline of July 1, 2024 to complete the process.

«Social equity has been a major concern for us throughout this process,» said Representative Scott Slater. «The starting line is not the same for people in poor, urban and minority communities, and they deserve support to ensure they benefit fully from legalization.»

The bill also includes changes for medical cannabis patients, including the elimination of fees for patient cards and plant identification tags when they grow their own plants. Adults who grow cannabis for recreational purposes would still be required to purchase plant identification tags.

«The amended bill is the result of a collaborative effort to address concerns about protecting medical use, ensuring fair governance and recognizing that we cannot make this transition without taking steps to give back to communities and individuals who were punished for decades under prohibition,» said Josh Miller.