The Rhode Island state legislature has approved the legalization for adult-use marijuana. The bill that has been sent to Governor Dan McKee's desk decriminalizes the sale of up to one ounce of cannabis from a dispensary for Rhode Islanders 21 and older.
“The reality is that prohibition does not stop cannabis use. Since Rhode Islanders can already access cannabis just across the state border or on the illicit market, we experience all the challenges without any of the safeguards or resources that our neighboring states have. With this bill, we are ending prohibition in a way that is safe, keeps revenue in Rhode Island, and is as fair and equitable as we can possibly make it. This bill has been years in the making, and is a collaborative effort to address concerns about protecting medical use, ensuring fair governance and recognizing that we cannot make this transition without taking action to make whole the communities and individuals who have been punished for decades under prohibition,” said Senator Miller, who represents parts of Cranston and Providence.
Governor McKee's office says he plans to sign the bill into law on Wednesday. Rhode Island is set to become the fifth New England state to legalize recreational pot. Only New Hampshire will not have recreational pot laws on the books.
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