Rhode Island Bill seeks to prevent cannabis accumulation by more than three people

S-125 was introduced February 1 in Rhode Island by six Senators: Sen. Walter Felag, Sen. Leonidas Raptakis, Sen. Frank Ciccone, Sen. Lou DiPalma, Sen. Susan Sosnowski, and Sen. Dawn Euer (Chair of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate). If passed, the law would make the presence of cannabis illegal in gatherings, which the law defines as “where a group of three or more people is or is gathering for a social occasion or activity at a resident or in a building.” Offenders will be charged $500 for the first offense, followed by $750 for the second offense and subsequent offenses at $1,000.

Lovewell Farms, the state’s only USDA organic hemp farm, made a public statement on February 11 about the bill and its impact on residents. “Red Alert! Check out this new cannabis bill introduced by Senators Felag, Raptakis, Tikoian, Ciccone, DiPalma and Sosnoswki in @RISenate! It provides for a fine if 3 or more people are placed on private property to smoke m*rijuana, Lovewell Farms wrote.

The bill as it stands would restrict more than just cannabis. It also includes other “hallucinogenic substances” such as ibogaine, peyote, and psilocybin.

Lovewell Farms also pointed out that adult-use cannabis sales in Rhode Island began last year on December 1, 2022, but a bill like S-125 directly conflicts with current law. “Well, that’s all very strange considering that adult use of cannabis has been federally regulated for the past year,” Lovewell Farms continued. “In fact, this bill specifically prevents adults from being penalized for possessing or using cannabis – but this new bill does exactly that!”

Under the Rhode Island Cannabis Act of 2022, the law protects residents who use cannabis for personal use. “Notwithstanding any other general or special law, except as provided in this Chapter, a person twenty-one (21) years of age or older may and shall not be denied in any manner, or any right or privilege, under the laws of the State be the subject of confiscation or forfeiture of property…”

Citing a 2014 ACLU Rhode Island report, Lovewell Farms addresses how a bill like this would negatively impact people who have already been unfairly targeted because of the War on Drugs. “Also remember that black people are 8 times more likely to be arrested (or fined) in Rhode Island than non-black people — that’s more than Ferguson, MO!” What would the implementation of this law look like? Probably disproportionate fines for people of color.”

Lovewell Farms is seeking attorney actions against the bill and is providing dates and contact information for the bill’s sponsors. “So please! Call these Rhode Island State Senators listed below and let them know that this bill is awful! We need to stop spending state and local funds chasing down cannabis users. This is a waste of money – we’ve already decided that adults are responsible enough!”

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed the state’s cannabis law into law in May 2022.

In the first week of adult sales in December 2022, Rhode Island grossed $1.6 million between recreational ($786,000) and medicinal ($845,400) sales.

In the recently released Americans for Safe Access 2022 State of the States report card, Rhode Island received a B- for implementing its medicinal cannabis program. “This year, Rhode Island doubled the number of dispensaries in the state,” the ASA wrote. “While this is a major boost for patients, Rhode Island policymakers should also be aware that it takes more than 6 dispensaries to serve patients with medical cannabis in the state.”

Rhode Island is one of only two other states, Connecticut and Maryland, to have received the same score (also the highest score awarded for any state in the US that year). Most other states received C, D, and F scores.

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