Legislation to treat marijuana like alcohol introduced
On February 6, House Judiciary Committee Chair Edith Ajello (D – Providence) introduced legislation to end Rhode Island’s marijuana prohibition and replace it with a system that regulates adult marijuana use and sales. Sen. Donna Nesselbush (D – Pawtucket) will be introducing a companion bill to Rep. Ajello's proposal in the Senate. If you’re a resident of the Ocean State, please email your state representative and state senator today and ask them to support H5274, the Marijuana Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act!
Rep. Ajello and Sen. Nesselbush's proposal is philosophically similar to the measures voters in Colorado and Washington overwhelmingly approved this past November. The bill would allow individuals 21 and older to possess and cultivate limited amounts of marijuana. It would also direct the department of business regulation to license and regulate marijuana producers and retail marijuana stores. This sensible approach to marijuana policy would let law enforcement focus on more serious crimes. It would also create new industries with new jobs, raise revenue for the state, and create barriers to youth access (a drug dealer won’t ID, but a licensed business will!).
2012 proves to be big year for marijuana policy reform in Providence
In 2012, MPP – along with our local allies – helped usher through much needed marijuana policy reform in Rhode Island. The legislature and Gov. Lincoln Chafee removed the threat of jail time for simple possession of marijuana and revised the state’s medical marijuana law to ensure full implementation of the medical marijuana dispensary program.
In June, Gov. Chafee signed legislation to replace the criminal penalties for adults’ possession of up to an ounce of marijuana with a civil violation of $150 for most violations! S2253/H7092 was sponsored by Sen. Josh Miller and Rep. John Edwards and will go into effect on April 1, 2013. MPP worked with an outstanding group of advocates in Providence. We are grateful to the tireless legislative sponsors, Rep. Edwards and Sen. Miller. Many thanks to Wally Gernt and Chris Reilly at the Bradford Group, who have successfully lobbied on behalf of MPP to reform Rhode Island’s marijuana laws since 2004. Brown University’s Dr. David Lewis, Dr. Glenn Loury, Brad Brockmann, and Dr. Nick Zaller lent their high-profile support, as did Law Enforcement Against Prohibition speakers Jack Cole and Beth Comery. Jared Moffat and other volunteers from Brown and University of Rhode Island’s SSDP chapters, Becky Mer and Nick Horton from OpenDoors, Steve Brown from the Rhode Island ACLU, and Catharine Leach — all of these individuals and groups were crucial in speaking out and corralling supportive individuals to contact their legislators.
In May, a full year after halting implementation of the compassion center program citing fears of federal interference, Rhode Island Gov. Chafee signed legislation that was written to alleviate his concerns and to finally get the compassion centers open! MPP worked with legislative champions – Sen. Rhoda Perry and Rep. Scott Slater – and the governor’s office on mutually agreeable language. The amended program caps the amount of usable medical marijuana the centers may possess at any given time to 1,500 ounces. Additionally, the centers are only allowed to cultivate 150 plants, no more than 99 of which can be mature at any time. The revised law will also allow patients and caregivers to sell any excess medical marijuana they have directly to the compassion centers. The first compassion center should open by early spring!
Sign up now to stay up-to-date on Rhode Island marijuana policy
Stay informed about local events and opportunities to move forward marijuana policy reform in Rhode Island by signing up to MPP's free legislative alerts.
