Rhode Island Marijuana | RI Marijuana RI Marijuana News and Information
Representative Scott Slater, along with four co-sponsors, have introduced House Bill 7752 to the Rhode Island House. The bill would legalize recreational marijuana use for adults over the age of 21, according to Tenth Amendment Center. The bill is also in an effort to nullify federal marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island.
A snippet from the bill’s language reads: “Prohibiting the cultivation and sale of marijuana to adults has proven to be an ineffective, unfair, and costly policy for the state of Rhode Island. In the absence of a legal, tightly regulated market, an illicit marijuana industry has thrived, undermining the public health and safety of Rhode Islanders.”
If H-7752 passes in Rhode Island, the sale and distribution of small amounts (1 ounce or less) of marijuana would be legal through a marketplace setting. The bill’s language also includes provisions preventing asset forfeiture and seizure along with exemption from arrest.
Additional provisions in the bill include:
- Legal possession of 1 oz. of marijuana flower
- Legal possession of marijuana products containing 300mg of THC
- Allow adults age 21 and older to store, process and possess marijuana
The passage of H-7752 would render Rhode Island the first state to pass recreational marijuana legalization through state legislature process rather than a ballot vote. While federal prohibition would remain in effect, the removal of this single layer of laws is a step in the right direction toward ending prohibition.
In regards to the effect of federal prohibition, Tenth Amendment Center founder Michael Boldin says, “The lesson here is pretty straight forward. When enough people say, ‘No!’ to the federal government, and enough states pass laws backing those people up, there’s not much the feds can do to shove their so-called laws, regulations or mandates down our throats.”
Rhode Island marijuana arrest records show that 99 out of 100 arrests are done so under state laws, not federal marijuana prohibition laws. In order for H-7752 to go further, it must pass the House Judiciary Committee prior to being passed onto the state’s House for a full vote.
