Rhode Island lawmakers unveiled legislation to legalize cannabis for adults on Tuesday with the introduction of identical bills in the state Senate and House of Representatives. The measure introduced by state Senator Josh Miller and Representative Scott Slater would legalize possession and purchase of up to one ounce of... Read more
The 2023 budget was recently proposed by the governor of Rhode Island, which aims to establish a legislative framework for recreational cannabis legalization. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee presented his Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Proposal on January 20, and includes recreational cannabis legalization. “Today, we know there are still... Read more
On December 29, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 328—representing roughly 11,000 Rhode Island and Massachusetts frontline workers—announced a victory for Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center employees in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, preserving their right to openly discuss unions and other workers’ rights. Like most other industries, workers in medical... Read more
A legalization bill for Rhode Island is expected to be ready sometime during quarter one of 2022. Last week, Rhode Island Representative and House Speaker Joe Shekarchi mentioned the progress of a cannabis legalization bill for his state, which is almost ready to be introduced. Shekarchi was featured in... Read more
After a series of delays and legal obstacles, the state of Rhode Island finally appears ready to dole out new licenses for medical marijuana dispensaries. The state’s Department of Business Regulation announced last week that it will commence a lottery this Friday for five new dispensary licenses. In what... Read more
Legislators joined a progressive group outside the State House on Wednesday, calling for Rhode Island to ensure that marijuana legalization benefits poor and working-class communities of color that bore the brunt of the War on Drugs. The General Assembly concluded this year’s legislative session on July 1 without passing one... Read more
Rhode Island is still dealing with legal setbacks to its medical cannabis lottery. Regulators in the state have once again delayed the lottery, which was initially supposed to take place this week. Now, it has been postponed because of an administrative appeal from a rejected lottery applicant. This is... Read more
Rhode Island could become the first state in the union to allow safe injection sites for illicit drugs under a bill passed by lawmakers late last week. Under the legislation, the state would authorize a two-year, pilot program for the operation of “harm reduction centers” where overdose prevention and... Read more
Rhode Island just made history by approving a legal cannabis bill. The proposed legislation passed 29-9 earlier this week. The bill is sponsored by Michael McCaffrey, Democrat and the Senate Majority Leader and Health & Human Services Chairman Joshua Miller, another Democrat. It was introduced back in March, and... Read more
