Earlier today, Gov. Dan McKee signed into law a bill that immediately makes possession and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis legal in Rhode Island! Rhode Island has officially become the 19th state to legalize cannabis for adults!

Later today, members of the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives will debate a proposal to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana. After years of public debate and advocacy, Rhode Island could soon join the 18 other states that have ended cannabis prohibition for adults.

Exciting news: Rhode Island could soon become the next state to legalize cannabis for adults!

At 2:00 p.m. ET this afternoon, the Yes We Cannabis RI Coalition will kick off the first in a series of three online educational panels focused on cannabis legalization and social equity. Today’s event, titled “Seeds of Hope: Repairing the Harm,” will feature a discussion about automatic record clearance for past cannabis offenses and other reforms to the criminal legal system. The event will be moderated by Cherie Cruz of the Formerly Incarcerated Union of Rhode Island.

Yesterday, Rep. Scott Slater and Sen. Josh Miller, along with many cosponsors in the House and Senate, formally introduced a pair of identical bills (S 2430 and H 7593) to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults 21 and older in Rhode Island. 

Later this year, Rhode Island could become the 20th state in the nation to approve a law that legalizes cannabis for adults. Though the clock ran out in the regularly scheduled legislative session as lawmakers adjourned late last week, there’s still a good chance Rhode Island will end cannabis prohibition before the end of 2021.

Exciting news! With just a couple of weeks remaining in the 2021 legislative session, state senators are bringing a bill to legalize marijuana for adults to the floor for a vote this Tuesday! 

Things are heating up around cannabis legalization in the Ocean State! This Thursday at 4 p.m., the House Finance Committee in the Rhode Island General Assembly will hold a public hearing on several cannabis bills, including Article 11 of Gov. McKee’s budget proposal, which outlines a plan to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis for adults.

MPP and local advocates have been working for years to pass a law to legalize cannabis for adults in Rhode Island. With your help, we have a real chance of getting it done this legislative session. Top political leaders, including Gov. McKee and the Senate Majority Leader, have introduced legislation to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis.

Tomorrow at 6:00 p.m., state lawmakers are holding a public hearing on H 5307 (along with several other bills) in the House Judiciary Committee. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Anastasia Williams and co-sponsored by other members of the House, would direct the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies to expunge all past misdemeanors and felony cases involving cannabis.