Tagged: medical marijuana

The senate judiciary committee is scheduled to hear a bill today that tightens the state’s medical marijuana program rules.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin proposed the changes that revise the amount of marijuana a patient can possess and grow.

Rhode Island’s first medical marijuana dispensary is set to open two weeks from today. The state health department has approved the permit for the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center. 

The facility plans to grow its own marijuana but the first batch of medicine will be purchased from growers who participate in the state’s medical marijuana program. That’s because Slater wasn’t allowed to have any marijuana on hand while it awaited its final permits.

Two other dispensaries – in Warwick and Portsmouth – are awaiting state approval.

The Rhode Island Department of Health has issued the state's first certificate to operate to a medical marijuana retail store. The Thomas C. Slater compassion center must tell the department when it expects to begin selling marijuana to patients who qualify. But today's announcement means the center can officially open for business.

Thousands of patients with qualifying medical conditions have registered to be able to buy the drug. They don't need a prescription but do need a doctor to certify they're eligible.
 

RI's former Attorney General is in Brazil helping law enforcement looking into a deadly nightclub fire.  RI and MA are working out how to best regulate centers which dispense  medical marijuana.  These stories and more on the RIPR Morning News Podcast.  Also a special interview by Ian Donnis with US Attorney Peter Neronha.

Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you.  news@ripr.org