"The reality is, folks will be a short drive away from access to legal cannabis. The only thing that the town of Waterbury would do by creating or making itself an island of prohibition or unfriendly to cannabis businesses, is miss out on tax revenue," said DeVaughn Ward, MPP's senior legislative counsel.
"Rhode Island is on the verge of being an island of marijuana prohibition in New England, and that’s not where the state needs to be. That’s why it’s crucial that lawmakers prioritize legislation and getting an adult-use market up and running. So there’s still time to act but not much," said Jared Moffat, MPP's state campaigns manager.
"We hope lawmakers continue to work on the details, and make legalization a priority when they return in January 2022," said Olivia Naugle, MPP's legislative analyst.
"Polls have long shown that a majority of Rhode Islanders support ending marijuana prohibition, and now we’re closer than ever to getting the job done," said Jared Moffat, MPP's state campaigns manager.
"This is a significant milestone. After roughly a decade of public discussion and debate in Rhode Island, this is the first time a legislative chamber in the General Assembly has voted on a bill to legalize cannabis for adults," said Jared Moffat, MPP's state campaigns manager.
"According to the Marijuana Policy Project, Connecticut is now the 19th state to end cannabis prohibition. The group, which advocated for the bill, noted the legislation sets aside 50% of licenses for equity applicants, which include residents of communities that have been “disproportionately impacted” by drug-related crimes and high unemployment. Also, up to 75% of revenue will be dedicated toward equity efforts and community reinvestment, the group said."
"This has been years in the making. The amount of revenue that will be generated and directed back into our distressed communities is an unprecedented investment in communities of color," said DeVaughn Ward, MPP's senior legislative counsel.
The Marijuana Policy Project also notes the legislation sets aside 50% of licenses for equity applicants, which include residents of communities that have been “disproportionately impacted” by drug-related crimes and high unemployment. Also, up to 75% of revenue will be dedicated toward equity efforts and community reinvestment, the group said.