Majority of RI cities and towns will vote on recreational marijuana sales

Thirty-one of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns will ask voters whether to allow the sale of recreational marijuana within their borders, the secretary of state’s office said Thursday.

In May, Rhode Island became the 19th state to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana, with sales starting Dec. 1. The state plans to license 24 new retail shops in six zones around the state, a process expected to take up to two years to complete. But the legislation allows Rhode Island’s municipalities to hold a referendum asking voters if they want to opt out of offering licenses to sell recreational marijuana.

Communities had until Wednesday afternoon to file certified ballot questions with the secretary of state’s office.

Here is the list of cities and towns that will put the question to voters in November: Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville, Charlestown, Coventry, Cumberland, East Greenwich, East Providence, Glocester, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Johnston, Lincoln, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, Newport, New Shoreham, North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, Richmond, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, Tiverton, Warren, Westerly, West Greenwich, West Warwick, and Woonsocket.

Communities that already host licensed medical marijuana treatment centers — Providence, Warwick and Portsmouth — are unable to opt out. The additional communities that will not hold marijuana votes are: Central Falls, Cranston, Exeter, Foster and Pawtucket.

[Read more at The Public’s Radio]