Rhode Island Senate paving way for legalisation

A legal weed bill easily cleared the Rhode Island Senate earlier this week, though it may be some time before it actually becomes law. The Rhode Island Senate passed the bill by 29-9 votes Tuesday, putting it on its way to the state's House of Representatives before reaching the governor's desk for a final signature. The time for the legislature, due to end June 30th, is running out, but the bill will be passed in a special session like in Connecticut. House spokesman K. Joseph Shekarchi told the Boston Globe the state could take time to review all of the legislation - two other proposals were made this year - and hinted that they will be discussed at an autumn session could. If passed, Rhode Island would be the fifth state to pass legal smoking weed this year, after Connecticut, New Mexico, New York and Virginia. Rhode Island would also become the 20th state to legalize cannabis. It's a significant milestone after decades of public discussion and debate in Rhode Island, says Jared Moffat, campaign manager for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) advocate group. "Polls have long shown a majority of Rhode Icelanders support ending marijuana prohibition, and now we are closer than ever to getting the job done. Senate leaders deserve tremendous credit for their work on this important issue. " MPP led a campaign to decriminalize cannabis possession in the state in 2012 and played a leading role in efforts to legalize and regulate weed for adults in Rhode Island. Rhode Island's bill, 2021-S-568A, would tax and regulate weed. The proposal was introduced in March and changed last week to include a cannabis control committee. The five-person commission would oversee the licensing structure, which includes the cultivation, manufacture, retailing and testing of weed. Ownership of up to an ounce would be allowed for those 21 years of age and older, and home-growing of plants would be allowed, similar to the neighboring state of Massachusetts. The use of cannabis would not be allowed in public places. Unsealed containers of grass are also not allowed to be carried on the passenger side of a car.