Category: Cannabis

Regulate Rhode Island to Hold News Conference

4/11/2016

Regulate Rhode Island will hold a news conference on Tuesday, 4/12 at 1 p.m. ET in the Statehouse shortly before the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on H 7752, the Marijuana Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday on a bill that would end marijuana prohibition in the state and replace it with a system in which adults can purchase marijuana from licensed businesses, similarly to alcohol. Shortly before the hearing, marijuana market researchers, business owners, and entrepreneurs will join Regulate Rhode Island for a news conference to discuss the legislation’s potential to foster new businesses and create thousands of jobs in Rhode Island.

The news conference will take place at 1 p.m. ET in the House Lounge of the Statehouse. The committee hearing is scheduled to take place in Room 101 at the rise of the House.

“This bill would provide a tremendous economic boost for our state, which is one of several reasons why our state legislators should not delay voting on it,” said Regulate Rhode Island Director Jared Moffat. “This proposal would create dozens of new businesses and thousands of new jobs across Rhode Island. Our state’s unemployment rate is still significantly higher than our neighbors’, and this legislation will put many Rhode Islanders back to work.”

H 7752, known as the Marijuana Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act, would make possession of limited amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older, and it would establish a tightly controlled system of licensed marijuana cultivation sites, testing facilities, and retail stores.

“Colorado’s legal marijuana market currently employs more than 20,000 people,” said Eric Casey, a regulatory analyst for 4Front Ventures, which researches the marijuana market and monitors marijuana regulatory issues. “Instead of continuing to have an out of control underground market, Rhode Island has the opportunity to create a responsibly regulated, legal market. Workers will be better protected, provided salaries and benefits, and paying into the tax system.”

“A recent analysis estimates that the legal marijuana market could infuse up to $44 billion each year into the U.S. economy by 2020,” said Adam Fine, an attorney for Vincent Sederberg, LLC, which offers legal services and consulting to state-legal marijuana businesses. “Savvy investors know that legal marijuana is the next big thing and are closely watching East Coast states like Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Whichever state moves to end marijuana prohibition first will certainly see a larger share of investment and business growth.”

WHAT: News conference to discuss the potential for H 7752 to foster new businesses and create thousands of new jobs in Rhode Island, followed by the House Judiciary Committee hearing on H 7752

WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, news conference at 1 p.m. ET, committee hearing at rise of the House

WHERE: News conference in the House Lounge of the Rhode Island Statehouse, committee hearing in Room 101

WHO: Spencer Blier, Rhode Island cannabis entrepreneur and investor
Eric Casey, regulatory analyst, 4Front Ventures
Adam Fine, attorney, Vicente Sederberg, LLC
Ross Kaplan, owner and co-founder, Heritage Cannabis Company
Raymond White, chief operating officer, Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center
Jared Moffat, director, Regulate Rhode Island

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Millennial-based Coalition for Cannabis Reform

3/23/2016

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In a letter to Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio and his colleagues on Tuesday, the Young Democrats of Rhode Island and Students for Sensible Drug Policy thanked the senators for backing legislation that would ‘dramatically enhance Rhode Island’s ability to protect teens, retain graduates, attract young professionals, and create opportunities for a new generation of entrepreneurs’

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Some of the state’s most prominent millennial-based civic engagement organizations are praising state Senate leaders for supporting legislation that would end marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol.

In a letter to Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio and other members of the Senate on Tuesday, leaders of the Young Democrats of Rhode Island and Students for Sensible Drug Policy thanked the senators for backing S 2420 because it would “improve Rhode Island’s ability to protect students, retain graduates, attract young professionals and create opportunities for a new generation of entrepreneurs.”The full letter is available below.

S 2420 would make possession of limited amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older, and it would establish a tightly controlled system of licensed marijuana cultivation sites, testing facilities, and retail stores.

“It’s a sensible proposal that is long overdue, and we are proud to stand with you in support of it,” the letter reads. “The time has come for Rhode Island to move forward and leave the antiquated policy of marijuana prohibition behind.”

A poll conducted in April of 2015 found that nearly three out of four voters aged 18 to 34 support regulating and taxing marijuana similarly to alcohol. The full results of the poll can be found here: http://bit.ly/1IiFCNt

Full letter from Rhode Island youth leaders to ranking members of the Rhode Island Senate:

Dear Honorable Members of the Rhode Island Senate,

We are writing on behalf of our organizations and their many members across Rhode Island to express our gratitude for your support of S 2420, the Marijuana, Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act.

The Young Democrats of Rhode Island and Students for Sensible Drug Policy represent a diverse group of young, civically engaged Rhode Islanders who share a commitment to promoting the health, safety, and general welfare of our communities. We strongly support S 2420 because it would dramatically enhance Rhode Island’s ability to protect teens, retain graduates, attract young professionals, and create opportunities for a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Our state’s current policy of marijuana prohibition has caused far more problems than it has solved. It has failed to prevent teens from accessing marijuana. It has disproportionately impacted lower-income communities and communities of color. And rather than eliminating the supply of marijuana, prohibition has forced it into an underground market in which consumers aren’t asked for ID, they don’t know what they’re getting, and they’re often exposed to other, more harmful substances.

S 2420 would replace our state’s underground marijuana economy with a regulated market for adults. Marijuana would be sold by licensed businesses that test their products, label them, and only sell them to adults who provide proof of age. These companies would also create good jobs for Rhode Islanders and generate tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenue to fund vital state programs and services.

It is a sensible proposal that is long overdue, and we are proud to stand with you in support of it. The time has come for Rhode Island to move forward and leave the antiquated policy of marijuana prohibition behind.

Sincerely,

Michael Beauregard
Young Democrats of Rhode Island

Shmuel Barkan
Brown University Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Patrick Shea
University of Rhode Island Students for Sensible Drug Policy

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PVD Police to Cannabis Church: "Good Day, Ma'am"

5/17/2015

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(We know that the auto here is a little grainy) In this video Anne Armstrong tells the officers that all of the cannabis is in her car, headed for city property, and invites them to "deal with it".

To which she gets a nice "Good Day, Ma'am"

Are attitudes about cannabis starting to change in Rhode Island?

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Cannabis Church in RI

5/2/2015

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Poll: Cannabis Support Increases Again in Colorado

4/14/2015

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New Quinnipiac poll out today shows support for marijuana legalization has grown to 62% in Colorado, up from 58% in February (and up from 55% when it passed in 2012). Poll attached.

Coloradans can see firsthand that the system is working. They were not swayed by all the anti-marijuana doom and gloom when they voted for the law, and even fewer are being swayed by it two years later. The sky didn't fall, and the outlook is brighter than ever. Opponents of legalization like to claim that Colorado voters are experiencing buyer’s remorse, but it appears most of them are satisfied customers.

Jared Moffat
Director of Regulate Rhode Island
Rhode Island Political Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Providence, Rhode Island
Phone: 401-419-8794

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