At the end of the 2009 legislative session, the Rhode Island Senate passed S. 0132, a resolution sponsored by Sen. Josh Miller (D-Cranston). This resolution created a study commission that is examining the effects and costs of marijuana prohibition, including: violence against marijuana consumers and providers; corruption of law enforcement related to marijuana law enforcement; the rate of unsolved serious crimes in Rhode Island; ease of access to marijuana by teens; and the risks of contaminated marijuana. 
The commission held its first meeting on November 18, 2009. In the early stages, the commission will focus on the fiscal impact that taxed and regulated marijuana will have on the state of Rhode Island.

Along with Sen. Miller, the commission also includes a medical marijuana caregiver, Brown University economics Prof. Glenn Loury; Nick Horton of OPENDOORS; Donna Ploicastro, executive director of the Rhode Island Nurses Association; Dr. David Lewis, the founder of Brown University's Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies; and Jeffrey Miron, a professor of economics at Harvard University. The commission will report its findings to the legislature by the end of January.

For more information on the commission's first hearing, please see the following NBC Channel 10, Providence story:

If you or someone you know has had any personal experiences about how damaging or futile it is to keep marijuana illegal and unregulated, this is your chance to share your story. Specifically, let us know if you have been convicted of a marijuana offense; have been discriminated against in trying to find a job or housing, obtain a professional license, or receive state aid as a result of such a conviction; faced violence related to the marijuana trade; or been told by the police that they had too little time to thoroughly investigate your car theft, while they found time to arrest hundreds of people for marijuana crimes. We are also looking for clergy members, law enforcement, health professionals, and parents who support taxing and regulating marijuana. E-mail state@mpp.org to share your story, and our local grassroots organizer will contact you to learn more and discuss how you can help out.  Please include your name, phone number, e-mail address, and ZIP code, as well as a narrative of what happened.

Rhode Island's medical marijuana law now includes compassion centers!

Continuing its trend of being the most compassionate legislature in the country, on June 16 the Rhode Island General Assembly overrode Governor Donald Carcieri's (R) veto of compassion centers legislation with only 3 of 113 legislators casting a heartless vote with the governor. Rhode Island has now officially modified its original medical marijuana law to include the creation of state-licensed compassion centers, which will provide safe and consistent access for seriously ill patients to the medicine they need. Rhode Island is the first state in the nation to make such a modification.

Governor Carcieri had demonstrated his heart of stone by again vetoing H. 5359 and S. 0185, in a final, fruitless attempt to deny safe access to patients. In response, the House unanimously voted to override the veto, and gave the bill's sponsor, Rep. Thomas Slater, a standing ovation. The Senate voted 35-3 on the twin bills. Compassion centers are now legal under state law! The Rhode Island Department of Health has released draft regulations and is expected to license the first compassion center early next year. The legislation also provides that there should be three compassion centers within three years.

Credit for this victory goes to many people who we would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts. Our sponsors have been tireless, working for the passage of this bill, and gaining more and more support in each vote. This was personal for both of them. After the bill's passage, on August 10 our esteemed champion Rep. Thomas C. Slater (D-Providence) passed away after a long and valiant fight with breast cancer, which made his tireless advocacy that much more impressive. The Providence Journal did a very moving profile of Rep. Slater and his years of fighting on behalf of seriously ill patients and other disadvantaged Rhode Island residents. Sen. Rhoda Perry (D-Providence) also has personal knowledge of the need for this bill. Her nephew, Edward Hawkins, died five years ago after a long, painful battle with AIDS, and refused to use marijuana to ease his pain and relieve his nausea because of fear of arrest.

This legislation never would have passed without the tireless efforts of Jesse Stout and his organization, MPP grant recipient Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition. Jesse, who served as RIPAC's executive director until July 2009, effectively organized patients, doctors, and advocates, secured key endorsements, and coordinated riveting testimony for committee hearings and advocacy. Many thanks are due to Jesse, Stephen Hogan, Jr., incoming executive director, and Anne Leppanen, associate director, as well as the Bradford Group, our excellent lobbying firm.

Patients' and doctors' testimony made the human cost of legislators' votes clear. Thanks to their decision to speak out, almost all Rhode Island legislators realized they had to do the right thing. Thank you to all the physicians, including Dr. David Lewis and Dr. Todd Handel, who offered the medical perspective at the committee hearings; and many thanks to all the brave patients who shared their stories, including Bobbie Ebert, Bobbi Brady-Cataldo, Dan Rivera, George Des Roches, and Polly Reynolds. You made it happen.
Savor this victory, it is sweet; and please check out our news page for the great press coverage.

Qualifying patients can apply to the medical marijuana program on the Rhode Island Health Department's Web site. Low-income patients who cannot afford the application fee can apply to MPP for financial assistance. Click here to learn about MPP's financial assistance program. More than 500 seriously ill patients are registered under the act.