The Rhode Island State Senate approved legislation to legalize recreational cannabis use. The bill passed with a 29-9 vote, allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and cultivate up to six cannabis plants for personal use. A regulatory commission will now be established to regulate cannabis businesses and collect tax revenue from sales. The new law also provides for expungement of criminal records related to possession of small amounts of marijuana.

1. 6/29/2021 Cannabis Legalization Approved by the Rhode Island State Senate
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RHODE ISLAND LEGALIZES CANNABIS
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Cannabis Legalization Approved by the
Rhode Island State Senate
Rhode Island legalizes recreational marijuana by a Senate vote.
Posted by:
Karhlyle, today at 12:00am
Cannabis Legalization Approved by the Rhode Island State
Senate
As predicted, the General Assembly of Rhode Island has approved the decriminalization of the recreational use of
cannabis in the state. This happened just around the point when the house gets adjourned for the rest of the year.
A few weeks ago, the hope of this feat being achieved before house adjournment was quite low.

3. 6/29/2021 Cannabis Legalization Approved by the Rhode Island State Senate
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The approved Cannabis Legislation means there is no punishment for first-time offenders caught in possession of
cannabis for personal use. No prison time, no prison record. Now, possession of the regulated amount of weed will
have the same reaction as that of a trivial traffic violation.
June 22; a historic day for cannabis advocacy in RI
On this very day, the cannabis legislation bill passed in a 29 to 9 vote. The lead sponsors of the bill are Senate Majority
Leader Micheal Mccaffrey and Human Services Chairman Joshua Miller.
On this same day, the Governor of Connecticut also signed their cannabis legalization bill into law. Hence Rhode Island
is in between two states that have legalized the adult use of marijuana. This may be the reason why the state of Rhode
Island is trying to rush through its legalization process.
However, the organization of marijuana in the state is still a long way from being long, but the first step of overcoming
the general assembly chamber has been crossed.
Chairman Miller in a speech before the vote stated that the legalization of cannabis in the state must have a regulatory
framework. He used the policy changes in the neighboring states of Connecticut and Massachusetts as examples of why
this framework is required.
Majority Leader McCaffrey in a press release focused on the advantages of having approved cannabis legalization in the
state. Some of which include rectifying the wrongs done to communities of color, and access to programs for people
affected by the failed war on drugs. In the senator's words, cannabis legislation is as much about reconciliation as its
expected revenue.
Events leading up to the approval
The sponsors, both democrats, introduced the measure sometime in March, a few days after the state's pro-cannabis
governor, Dan Mckee released his administration's proposal for cannabis legalization.
In addition to this, a third measure was also filed by Representative Scott Slater on the house side. This measure also
has several cosponsors.

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However, the leader's bill was moved forward amongst others.
The Senate President, Dominick Ruggerio, has expressed his interest in making sure the reform is effected before the
end of 2021.
For cannabis to be available for recreational use in the state, the government must first put a working regulatory
framework in place, as well as an associated revenue stream. The Senate President is of the view that the longer it takes
the state to put all these measures in place, the further behind the state falls from the competitive standpoint. Seeing
that neighboring states are moving rapidly to kickstart their recreational cannabis industry. He also encouraged
stakeholders in government to work with the house to achieve cannabis legalization.
On the other hand, Senator Mckee maintains that his reason for legalization is not in any way related to competing with
the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts. He'd rather the state gets it right, rather than rush through it leaving
loopholes on the way.
What you need to know about the approved cannabis legalization
The approved bill permits any adult ( from age 21 and above) to purchase and possess at most one ounce of pot. They
can also cultivate up to six plants for personal use. A 20% effective tax rate may be attached.
A commission will also be established to control and regulate the cannabis market, as well as issue licenses to cannabis
businesses in the state.
The regulatory bodies will also be tasked with determining the number of businesses that can be licensed in a year.
For now, each municipality is to have three applicants to be licensed; depending on whether or not the town allows the
establishment of marijuana stores. ( according to the bill, cities or towns can vote to ban these stores).
For an additional 20,000 residents, a new business is licensed.
If this holds, Rhode Island can have no less than 130 cannabis dispensaries to meet up with demand in the state. There
will also be healthy competition between these stores, instead of having it controlled by a few large business owners.

5. 6/29/2021 Cannabis Legalization Approved by the Rhode Island State Senate
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The bill proposes that all sales will be subject to a seven percent tax, a three percent local tax to operate in some
jurisdictions, and a special tax of ten percent. All to be collected by the state and local governments.
What stands out in the bill is the prohibition of issuing licenses to new cannabis cultivators until July 1, 2023. Rhode
Island currently has dozens of licensed cultivators who have been meeting the demand for the medical cannabis
industry.
Other regulations
Driving: Asides from medical cannabis patients, any other individual caught driving under influence may be punished.
Driving under influence is prohibited.
Criminal record: People with criminal records for up to two ounces of marijuana will have their records cleared. The
courts will be given up to 90 days to deal with all expungement petitions filed. These records can also be sealed.

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Licensing: The number of business licenses a marijuana company can get has been capped at one. However, these
entrepreneurs can invest in multiple operations. The point is that they cannot possess more than one cannabis
business operating license.
Last words
This development comes in over eleven years after the state legalized the medical use of cannabis products.
The approved cannabis legalization was pushed through due to the urgency expressed by Senate leaders. The leaders
believe that residents of the state will begin to troop in large numbers to Massachusetts and Connecticut to purchase
cannabis products. This would have effectively cut Rhode Island from the tax revenues, and the state would have felt
the social impact of the drug's use.
Meanwhile, some Rhode Islanders will have found reasons to join the marijuana medical patients in the state. If this
legalization had stalled, the cannabis stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as the few existing medical
marijuana dispensaries in Rhode Island would have been the biggest winners.
NEW ENGLAND GOES GREEN, READ MORE...
(https://cannabis.net/blog/news/connecticut-senate-approves-legal-
cannabis-governor-lamont-ready-to-sign-the-bill)

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CONNECTICUT LEGALIZES MARJIUANA AS GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL! (https://cannabis.net/blog/news/connecticut-
senate-approves-legal-cannabis-governor-lamont-ready-to-sign-the-bill)
OR..
(https://cannabis.net/blog/news/forget-blueberries-marijuana-is-now-
maines-biggest-agricultural-crop-which-state-is-next)
MARIJUANA, NOT BLUEBERRIES, IS NOW MAINE'S #1 AG CROP! (https://cannabis.net/blog/news/forget-blueberries-
marijuana-is-now-maines-biggest-agricultural-crop-which-state-is-next)
What did you think?
Keep reading... click here
(https://cannabis.net/blog)
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11. 6/29/2021 Cannabis Legalization Approved by the Rhode Island State Senate
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(https://cannabis.net/blog/news/what-rights-can-you-lose-by-smoking-pot)
NEWS
What Rights Can You Lose By Smoking Pot?
But even if you live in a state where cannabis is legal in some capacity, this doesn’t mean that you are free from certain repercussions when you take a puff.

12. 6/29/2021 Cannabis Legalization Approved by the Rhode Island State Senate
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(https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/things-that-are-illegal-but-should-be-legal-because-freedom)
OPINION
THINGS THAT ARE ILLEGAL BUT SHOULD BE LEGAL BECAUSE: FREEDOM
This in exchange for not paying taxes, having to participate under the ridiculous laws of the land, but adhere to the natural law of humanity.

13. 6/29/2021 Cannabis Legalization Approved by the Rhode Island State Senate
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(https://cannabis.net/blog/opinion/are-you-still-on-the-fence-about-cannabis-legalization)
OPINION
Are You Still on the Fence about Cannabis Legalization?
While it’s true, there are more people in support of cannabis than ever before in modern history, it is also true that there still are a number of people who are still
“on the fence” about casting their vote. Lately, I have come across a couple of articles relating to the “we still need more research” ethos that has been going on
for the past forty plus years.