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As of Jan. 1, Industrial Hemp Cultivation is Legal in Rhode Island

Cannabis Rhode Island

Industrial hemp became legal in Rhode Island on January 1. For commercial use, hemp can now be grown, produced and processed within the state.

House Bill 8232 was introduced on May 19, according to Tenth Amendment Center. The initial legislation was amended that restricted commercial cultivation/production/trade/distribution of industrial hemp only by the Narragansett Indian Tribe to include everyone instead. H8232 passed the state’s Senate on June 18 by a vote of 26 – 7. Governor Raimondo signed the bill into law on January 1.

Industrial hemp is now an agricultural crop in Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation regulates it.

An excerpt from the legislation reads: “Hemp is an agricultural product which may be grown as a crop, produced, processed, distributed, and commercially traded pursuant to the provisions of this chapter…The department shall adopt rules to provide for the implementation of this chapter, which shall include rules to require hemp to be tested during growth for THC levels and to require inspection of the hemp during sowing, growing season, harvest, storage, and processing.”

The Farm Bill of 2014 only allowed hemp to be grown in states that had adopted proper legislation. In order to fall into that category, Rhode Island needed to make H8232 happen. The Department of Business Regulation can’t put federal law ahead of state law.

With more than 25,000 uses for hemp, it is a $600-million annual market in the U.S. It can be used to produce biofuels and food items, just to name a couple of examples. Hemp can also be used to create fibers, to make fabric, bookbindings and shoes, so the potential for Rhode Island to have a large hemp market within its state borders is likely.