Cannabis Legalization Soon to Be Introduced in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is gearing up to follow its neighbors with its lawmakers introducing legislation for the legalization of cannabis. The bill includes a range of measures, including allowing adults to grow and possess a limited quantity of cannabis legally, along with expungement of prior minor convictions. As usual, the Rhode Island cannabis bill is not without its roadblocks and opposition.

A committee of the Rhode Island House of Representatives on Tuesday discussed a bill to legalize cannabis in the state, as well as a separate budget proposal from the governor’s office, both of which include provisions aimed at ending the criminalization of cannabis and creating a regulated market.

For more cannabis research and legalization updates, download our free companion cannabis news app.

Rhode Island Neighbors Have Already Legalized Cannabis

“I’ve been in favor of legalizing cannabis for a number of years,” Democratic Rep. Scott Slater told fellow lawmakers at Tuesday’s hearing. “I just think it’s the best public policy” and is “long overdue.”

Referring to states neighboring Rhode Island that have already passed legalization, he called Rhode Island “a kind of prohibition island, surrounded by legal cannabis around us.”

“We are already dealing with this situation,” he said. “We might as well take the revenue that should be ours” by legalizing the sales.

Rhode Island Project Faces Roadblock

The project from the representatives, however, already seems to be blocked on one point, unlike that of Governor Dan McKee: it does not provide for an automatic amnesty for old cannabis-related sentences which would no longer constitute a post-legalization offense.

“The proposed scheme has yielded much less effective results in states that have adopted this model, with less than 5% of eligible claimants receiving relief,” said Jordan Goyette of Reclaim RI, a pro-legalization association. “The economic impact of erasing as many criminal records as possible should alone be reason enough for automatic processing. »

“People who have been wronged by the wars on drugs and specifically cannabis prohibition should not be placed on another burden,” he said. “No person should be penalized disproportionately to the magnitude of an offense that will soon be regulated similarly to any other controlled and legal substance. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel of the failed prohibition policy . We have to break this wheel”.

Conviction Pardons Will Require Court Petition

As presented, the Rhode Island legislation would require people with previous convictions for possession of up to two ounces (about 60 grams) of cannabis to petition the courts to have their records expunged.

It would also allow Rhode Island adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to one ounce (28 grams) of cannabis. They could also grow up to six plants at home, three of which are flowering. The authorized possession limit for cannabis stored in a given household would be capped at 10 ounces.ADVERTISING

The governor’s proposal for legalization does not provide for self-cultivation.

__

(Featured image by David Gabrić via Unsplash)

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third-party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Hemp.im, its management, staff, or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.

First published in Newsweed, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Hemp.im assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Hemp.im is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.