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{{short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
'''Cannabis in [[Rhode Island]]''', a state of the United States, is legal statewide for medical use since 2006 but illegal for recreational use.
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
[[File:MassachusettsTHCUniversalSymbol.png|thumb|220px|Rhode Island's THC Universal Symbol]]
{{Cannabis sidebar}}


'''Cannabis in Rhode Island''' is legal for medical and [[Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States|adult use]]. [[Medical cannabis in the United States|Medical use]] was legalized through legislation approved in 2006, and adult use in 2022.
==History==
===Prohibition (1918)===
Rhode Island first banned the sale of cannabis without a prescription in 1918.<ref name="Delinquency1977">{{cite book|author=United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency|title=Marijuana decriminalization: hearing before the Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, first session, pursuant to S. Res. 72, section 12, Investigation of juvenile delinquency in the United States, S. 1450 ... May 14, 1975|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U0PQAAAAMAAJ|year=1977|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office}}</ref>{{rp|475}}


==Prohibition==
===Medical marijuana (2006)===
Rhode Island first banned the sale of cannabis without a prescription in 1918.<ref name="Delinquency1977">{{cite book|author=[[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary]], [[Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency]]|title=Marijuana decriminalization: hearing before the Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, first session, pursuant to S. Res. 72, section 12, Investigation of juvenile delinquency in the United States, S. 1450 ... May 14, 1975|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U0PQAAAAMAAJ|year=1977|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office}}</ref>{{rp|475}}
Despite a 2005 Supreme Court ruling that medical cannabis patients may be prosecuted for using the drug, in 2006 Rhode Island legalized medical cannabis in the state legislature, making them the 11th state to legalize, overriding a governor veto by a vote of 59–13.<ref name="Gitlow2007">{{cite book|first=Stuart |last=Gitlow |title=Substance Use Disorders: A Practical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rbrSdWVerBUC&pg=PA192|year=2007|publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins|isbn=978-0-7817-6998-3|page=192}}</ref> In June 2009, Rhode Island introduced a [[cannabis dispensary]] system, making them the second state nationwide (after California) to do so.<ref name="Morgan2010">{{cite book|first=Kayla |last=Morgan |title=Legalizing Marijuana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RgR7AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA93|date=1 September 2010|publisher=ABDO Publishing Company|isbn=978-1-61787-384-3|page=93}}</ref>


As of 2012, Rhode Island had some of the strictest [[mandatory minimum]]s 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.<ref name="CaulkinsHawken2012">{{cite book|author1=Jonathan P. Caulkins|author2=Angela Hawken|author3=Beau Kilmer|author4=Mark Kleiman|title=Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lMAn8PWfy8QC&pg=PT51|date=14 June 2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-994288-6|page=51}}</ref>
==Legalization attempts==
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. Cannabis legalization bills have been offered in Rhode Island annually since 2011, but have been "held for further study" with no action. In 2016 advocates cited a recent Brown University poll showing 55% of state residents support legalizing recreational cannabis.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Bogdan |title=Marijuana advocates demand vote on legalization |work=Providence Journal |date=2 June 2016 |url=http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160602/NEWS/160609775}}</ref>


===Legalization proposals===
==Penalties==
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.<ref name="DemandVote">{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Bogdan |title=Marijuana advocates demand vote on legalization |work=Providence Journal |date=2 June 2016 |url=http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160602/NEWS/160609775}}</ref>
As of 2012, Rhode Island had some of the strictest [[mandatory minimum]]s for large-scale cannabis possession in the United States, with amounts over 5kg resulting in a sentence of 20 years and $25,000-100,000 fines.<ref name="CaulkinsHawken2012">{{cite book|author1=Jonathan P. Caulkins|author2=Angela Hawken|author3=Beau Kilmer|author4=Mark Kleiman|title=Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lMAn8PWfy8QC&pg=PT51|date=14 June 2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-994288-6|page=51}}</ref>

The group Regulate Rhode Island (the state affiliate of the [[Marijuana Policy Project]]) advocates for legalization.<ref name="DemandVote"/>

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.<ref name="DemandVote"/> A February 2017 poll showed 59% of Rhode Islanders in favor of full legalization.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jennifer Bogdan |url=http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20170207/3-out-of-5-in-ri-support-legalized-recreational-marijuana-poll-says |title=3 out of 5 in R.I. support legalized recreational marijuana, poll says - News - providencejournal.com - Providence, RI |publisher=providencejournal.com |access-date=2017-02-27}}</ref>

Bills legalizing any adult use, establishing legal sales, and expunging past offenses were signed into law on May 25, 2022. The bill was celebrated for its policies focused on promoting equity, including offering priority store licenses to low-income applicants and worker co-ops and the "automatic," state-initiated expungement of past marijuana convictions in rather than requiring people to petition the court for an expungement.<ref>{{cite news|title=McKee to sign marijuana legalization bill into law|publisher=[[WPRI-TV]]|date=May 25, 2022|url=https://www.wpri.com/news/cannabis-coverage/mckee-to-sign-marijuana-legalization-bill-into-law/}}</ref>

==Medical marijuana==
In 2006 Rhode Island legalized medical marijuana, becoming the eleventh state to do so.<ref name="Gitlow2007">{{cite book|first=Stuart |last=Gitlow |title=Substance Use Disorders: A Practical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rbrSdWVerBUC&pg=PA192|year=2007|publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins|isbn=978-0-7817-6998-3|page=192}}</ref> The legislation was passed the year in 2005, winning approval in the [[Rhode Island House of Representatives|state House]] by a vote of 52-10 and the [[Rhode Island Senate|state Senate]] by a vote of 33–1.<ref>Katie Zezima, [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/30/us/in-rhode-island-uncertainty-about-medical-marijuana-law.html In Rhode Island, Uncertainty About Medical Marijuana Law], ''New York Times'' (June 30, 2005).</ref> Republican Governor [[Don Carcieri]] [[veto]]ed the legislation,<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jun-30-na-veto30-story.html Marijuana Bill Vetoed in R.I.], Associated Press (June 30, 2005).</ref> but the Legislature overrode the veto, by a vote of 59–13 in the state House<ref name="Gitlow2007"/> and 28–6 in the state Senate.<ref>Siddharth Chandra & Aaron Swoboda, "Are Spatial Variables Important? The Case for Markets of Multiple Drugs in British Bengal" in ''Geography and Drug Addiction'' (eds. Yonette F. Thomas, Douglas Richardson & Ivan Cheung: Springer, 2008), p. 241.</ref>

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 [[seizure disorder|seizures]]; "severe and persistent [[muscle spasm]]s, including but not limited to those characteristic of [[multiple sclerosis]] or [[Crohn's disease]]"; and [[Alzheimer's disease]]-related agitation.<ref>[http://www.health.ri.gov/healthcare/medicalmarijuana/ Medical Marijuana], [[Rhode Island Department of Health]] (accessed November 14, 2016).</ref>

In June 2009, Rhode Island introduced a [[cannabis dispensary]] system, making them the second state nationwide (after California) to do so.<ref name="Morgan2010">{{cite book|first=Kayla |last=Morgan |title=Legalizing Marijuana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RgR7AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA93|date=1 September 2010|publisher=ABDO Publishing Company|isbn=978-1-61787-384-3|page=93}}</ref>

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).<ref>Jennifer Bogdan & Tom Mooney, [http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20161026/ri-emergency-regulations-create-new-category-to-supply-medical-marijuana-dispensaries R.I. emergency regulations create new category to supply medical marijuana dispensaries], ''Providence Journals'' (October 26, 2016).</ref>

As of 2019, there are three medical cannabis dispensaries in Rhode Island: Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], Summit Medical Compassion Center in [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]], and Greenleaf Compassion Center in [[Portsmouth, Rhode Island|Portsmouth]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mooney |first1=Tom |title=Pot luck: R.I. may bring in an outside firm to ensure dispensary selection process is truly random |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20191203/pot-luck-ri-may-bring-in-outside-firm-to-ensure-dispensary-selection-process-is-truly-random |website=providencejournal.com |access-date=28 March 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

==Religious use==
The [[Healing Church in Rhode Island]] is a Rhode Island–based religious sect whose adherents believe that marijuana is a "holy herb" and [[Entheogenic use of cannabis|use it in religious rituals]].<ref name="CannabisChurch">[http://turnto10.com/news/local/members-of-rhode-island-cannabis-church-arrested-on-marijuana-charges Members of Rhode Island cannabis church arrested on marijuana charges], [[WJAR]] ([[Sinclair Broadcast Group]]) (July 20, 2016).</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
Line 19: Line 39:
==References==
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite news|newspaper=Providence Journal|title=What you need to know about legal cannabis in Rhode Island|author=Tom Mooney|date=May 25, 2022|url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2022/05/25/marijuana-legalization-recreational-cannabis-use-legal-weed-ri/9926250002/}}


{{Cannabis in the United States}}
{{Cannabis in the United States}}
{{Agriculture in the United States}}


[[Category:Cannabis in the United States by state|Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Cannabis in Rhode Island| ]]
[[Category:Crime in Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Politics of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Rhode Island culture]]

Latest revision as of 23:57, 14 August 2024

Rhode Island's THC Universal Symbol

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.

Prohibition

[edit]

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]

Legalization proposals

[edit]

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. The bill was celebrated for its policies focused on promoting equity, including offering priority store licenses to low-income applicants and worker co-ops and the "automatic," state-initiated expungement of past marijuana convictions in rather than requiring people to petition the court for an expungement.[5]

Medical marijuana

[edit]

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]

Religious use

[edit]

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]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency (1977). Marijuana decriminalization: hearing before the Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, first session, pursuant to S. Res. 72, section 12, Investigation of juvenile delinquency in the United States, S. 1450 ... May 14, 1975. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  2. ^ Jonathan P. Caulkins; Angela Hawken; Beau Kilmer; Mark Kleiman (June 14, 2012). Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know?. Oxford University Press. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-19-994288-6.
  3. ^ a b c Bogdan, Jennifer (June 2, 2016). "Marijuana advocates demand vote on legalization". Providence Journal.
  4. ^ Jennifer Bogdan. "3 out of 5 in R.I. support legalized recreational marijuana, poll says - News - providencejournal.com - Providence, RI". providencejournal.com. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  5. ^ "McKee to sign marijuana legalization bill into law". WPRI-TV. May 25, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Gitlow, Stuart (2007). Substance Use Disorders: A Practical Guide. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-7817-6998-3.
  7. ^ Katie Zezima, In Rhode Island, Uncertainty About Medical Marijuana Law, New York Times (June 30, 2005).
  8. ^ Marijuana Bill Vetoed in R.I., Associated Press (June 30, 2005).
  9. ^ Siddharth Chandra & Aaron Swoboda, "Are Spatial Variables Important? The Case for Markets of Multiple Drugs in British Bengal" in Geography and Drug Addiction (eds. Yonette F. Thomas, Douglas Richardson & Ivan Cheung: Springer, 2008), p. 241.
  10. ^ Medical Marijuana, Rhode Island Department of Health (accessed November 14, 2016).
  11. ^ Morgan, Kayla (September 1, 2010). Legalizing Marijuana. ABDO Publishing Company. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-61787-384-3.
  12. ^ Jennifer Bogdan & Tom Mooney, R.I. emergency regulations create new category to supply medical marijuana dispensaries, Providence Journals (October 26, 2016).
  13. ^ Mooney, Tom. "Pot luck: R.I. may bring in an outside firm to ensure dispensary selection process is truly random". providencejournal.com. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  14. ^ Members of Rhode Island cannabis church arrested on marijuana charges, WJAR (Sinclair Broadcast Group) (July 20, 2016).

Further reading

[edit]