Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Laws

Senate Bill 0710 — Approved by state House and Senate, vetoed by the Governor. Veto was over-ridden by House and Senate.

Timeline:

1. June 24, 2005: passed the House 52 to 10
2. June 28, 2005: passed the State Senate 33 to 1
3. June 29, 2005: Gov. Carcieri vetoed the bill
4. June 30, 2005: Senate overrode the veto 28-6
5. Jan. 3, 2006: House overrode the veto 59-13 to pass the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act  (48 KB) (Public Laws 05-442 and 05-443)
6. June 21, 2007: Amended by Senate Bill 791  (30 KB) Effective: Jan. 3, 2006

Approved Conditions: Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, or the treatment of these conditions; A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe, debilitating, chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures, including but not limited to, those characteristic of epilepsy; or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to, those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn’s disease; or agitation of Alzheimer’s Disease; or any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the state Department of Health.

If you have a medical marijuana registry identification card from any other state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia you may use it in Rhode Island. It has the same force and effect as a card issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Possession/Cultivation: Limits the amount of marijuana that can be possessed and grown to up to 12 marijuana plants or 2.5 ounces of cultivated marijuana. Primary caregivers may not possess an amount of marijuana in excess of 24 marijuana plants and five ounces of usable marijuana for qualifying patients to whom he or she is connected through the Department’s registration process.

Amended: H5359  (70 KB) – The Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act (substituted for the original bill)

Timeline:

1. May 20, 2009: passed the House 63-5
2. June 6, 2009: passed the State Senate 31-2
3. June 12, 2009: Gov. Carcieri vetoed the bill  (60 KB)
4. June 16, 2009: Senate overrode the veto 35-3
5. June 16, 2009: House overrode the veto 67-0Effective: June 16, 2009Allows the creation of compassion centers, which may acquire, possess, cultivate, manufacture, deliver, transfer, transport, supply, or dispense marijuana, or related supplies and educational materials, to registered qualifying patients and their registered primary caregivers.

   Do you live in Rhode Island and use medical marijuana? Tell us about it in a comment below!