Rhode Island Governor Nominates Three Members for Cannabis Regulatory Board

Rhode Island’s governor on Wednesday nominated three people to serve on a regulatory body that will oversee the state’s legal marijuana programs.

Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat, announced his appointment as a member of the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission, which “will oversee the regulation, licensing and control of adult-use and medicinal cannabis in the Ocean State,” according to a statement Press release from his office.

“I am proud to appoint these three individuals to the commission to ensure that the Rhode Island cannabis industry is both fairly regulated and prosperous,” McKee said in the announcement. “These nominees bring diverse and relevant experiences and I look forward to working with them.”

Leading the three nominees is Kimberly Ahern, who was selected by McKee to chair the commission and currently serves as the governor’s deputy chief of staff.

“I am grateful to Governor McKee for his confidence in me and I look forward to the Senate confirmation process. If confirmed, I hope to be able to continue the good work that has already begun in Rhode Island thanks to the longstanding leadership of the Department of Business Regulation and the Department of Health and Human Services. The first six months of adult use has shown that our state has managed to cautiously expand into this new industry. I look forward to working with my fellow Commissioners to regulate cannabis in a safe, transparent and equitable manner for years to come,” Ahern said in the announcement.

The other two gubernatorial candidates are Robert Jacquard, currently a self-employed attorney, and Layi Oduyingbo, managing attorney at a law firm in Cranston, Rhode Island.

“I am truly honored to be elected to the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission and to serve as one of its three voting commissioners,” Oduyingbo said in the announcement. “I thank Governor Dan McKee for my appointment and am grateful to everyone who supported my candidacy. As a lifelong Rhode Islander and small business owner, I understand the importance of this new and exciting opportunity for success now available to companies in this industry. As Commissioner, I will use my business and legal experience to efficiently oversee the regulation, licensing and control of cannabis and marijuana use in a manner that is prudent, transparent, equitable and consistent with the laws of our state.”

According to his office, the governor will now “send these three names to the Rhode Island Senate for consideration and approval.”

Recreational cannabis sales began in Rhode Island in December after McKee signed a bill legalizing marijuana for adults 21 and older last spring.

“This bill successfully addresses our priorities of ensuring that the legalization of cannabis is equitable, controlled and safe,” McKee said in a statement at the time. “It will also create a procedure to automatically overturn previous cannabis convictions. My government’s original legalization plan also contained such a provision, and I am pleased that the Assembly has recognized the importance of this particular issue. The end result is a win for our state, both socially and economically.”

The adult-use cannabis market opened up late last year after McKee announced that five existing medicinal cannabis dispensaries were also licensed to sell recreational marijuana.

“This milestone is the result of a carefully conducted process to ensure our state’s entry into this emerging market was safe, controlled and equitable,” McKee said in the announcement. “It’s also a win for our nationwide economy and our strong, locally based cannabis supply chain, which consists of nearly 70 licensed growers, processors and manufacturers in addition to our licensed Compassion Centers. In closing, I thank the leadership of the General Assembly for the adoption of this practical implementation framework in the Rhode Island Cannabis Act and look forward to continuing our work together on this issue.”