Rhode Island
Programs
- Medical (2006) – The Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act
- Adult (2022) – Rhode Island Cannabis Act
Dispensaries
Medical
- Six (6) medical dispensaries known as “Compassion Centers”:
- Winning Compassion Center Applications.
- There are differences between registered caregivers and authorized purchasers as outlined in this FAQ:
- “A caregiver can grow their own marijuana or buy marijuana from a compassion center, and may have up to five patients. An authorized purchaser can only buy marijuana at a compassion center and may only have one patient.”
Geography
- Massachusetts – Medical and Adult Use
- Connecticut – Medical and Adult Use
Regulatory Agencies
- State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation – Office of Cannabis Regulation
- State of Rhode Island Department of Health, Medical Marijuana
Adult Program Details
- License Types
- Cultivator
- Manufacturer
- Retailer
- Hybrid Retailer
- Laboratories-Testing
- Laboratories-Research
- Transporters
- Employees
- Licensing Structure (as outlined in the statute)
- No more than four (4) retail licenses exclusive of any hybrid cannabis retail certificate shall be permitted in each geographic zone; and
- Of the four (4) retail licenses in each geographic zone:
- One shall be reserved for a workers’ cooperative applicant; and
- One shall be reserved for a social equity applicant.
- In addition to the hybrid cannabis retailer certificates that may be issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, after issuance of the final rules and regulations, the commission may grant twenty-four (24) retail licenses, subject to the following restrictions:
- No more than four (4) retail licenses exclusive of any hybrid cannabis retail certificate shall be permitted in each geographic zone; and
- Of the four (4) retail licenses in each geographic zone:
- One shall be reserved for a workers’ cooperative applicant; and
- One shall be reserved for a social equity applicant.
- Licensing Restrictions
- Municipalities will be able to prohibit adult licensees from operating in their city or town
- Municipalities will be able to place specific restrictions on adult use cannabis business operations
- Possession Limits
- Anyone 21 years of age or older is allowed to be in possession of:
- One ounce or less of cannabis, no more than 5 grams of which can be in the form of concentrate on their person
- 10 ounces of cannabis, 3 mature cannabis plants, and 3 immature cannabis plants in their home
- NOTE: the regulations may impose limitations on the amount a person can purchase at any one time
- Anyone 21 years of age or older is allowed to be in possession of:
Rhode Island has released information about the new hybrid licensing rules for the first round of adult.
Preliminary Guidance for Hybrid Cultivation and Retail Sales
Hybrid Licensing
“[Licensed] medical marijuana cultivators are exclusively eligible to produce cannabis as hybrid cannabis cultivators for adult use after August 1, 2022, and until the expiration of the moratorium period as provided in § 21-28.11-7.”
License Verification
https://dbr.ri.gov/office-cannabis-regulation/compassion-centers/licensed-compassion-centers
https://dbr.ri.gov/office-cannabis-regulation/cultivators/approved-applicants-licenses
Banking Regulation Division
- Patients may purchase up to two and one-half (2.5) ounces of dried marijuana or 125 THC single serving units every fifteen (15) days.
- Qualified patients may grow up to twelve (12) mature and twelve (12) immature marijuana plants that are accompanied with valid medical marijuana plant tags.
- Licensed caregivers may possess for each patient no more than:
- Twelve (12) mature and twelve (12) immature marijuana plants that are accompanied by valid medical marijuana plant tag certificates purchased from the DBR.
- Two and one-half (2.5) ounces of dried marijuana or 125 THC single serving units.
- A combination that does not exceed the usable marijuana limit of two and one-half (2.5) ounces or 125 THC single serving units.
- No primary caregiver is allowed to posses an amount of marijuana in excess of twenty-four (24) mature and twenty-four (24) immature marijuana plants, five (5) ounces of dried marijuana or 415 THC single serving units, or a combination that does not exceed the usable marijuana limit of five (5) ounces or 415 THC single serving units.
- A primary caregiver must be at least 21 years of age, a resident of Rhode Island, and can assist no more than five (5) patients. Patients are limited to one (1) caregiver.
State Cannabis Regulatory Authority
OFFICE OF CANNABIS REGULATION
https://dbr.ri.gov/divisions/medicalmarijuana/
Address:
Department of Business Regulation
1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone:
401-462-9500
MMP Email:
Hemp Email:
Phone:
(401) 889-5607
Fax:
(401) 889-5608
Questions can also be emailed to:
Enforcement Actions
https://dbr.ri.gov/decisions/decisions_cannabis.php
Erica Ferrelli, Principle Policy & Economic Analyst
Email:
Phone:
(401) 889-5590
Fax:
(401) 889-5608
Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation
Address:
Department of Business Regulation
1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
Email:
Phone: General Department Number:
(401) 462-9500
(401) 889-5607
Fax:
(401) 462-9532
BANKING REGULATION DIVISION
Email:
Questions can also be emailed to:
Phone:
(401) 462-9503
Fax:
(401) 462-9536
Bulletins
Last Updated: October 2023
