Rhode Island Marijuana Officials Launch Listening Tour

“We want to hear the public’s thoughts, concerns, and feedback, especially from those within the cannabis industry, the medical patient community, and those who have been disproportionately impacted by criminal enforcement of marijuana laws.”

By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current

Rhode Island’s newly-formed Cannabis Control Commission wants to know what issues surrounding marijuana are important to you.

The three-member commission is tasked with overseeing regulation and licensing of recreational and medical marijuana in the state. The tour was announced by Commission Chair Kimberly Ahern during the panel’s inaugural meeting on June 29.

“The purpose of these public meetings is for the community and industry to use their voices and for the commissioners to listen,” Commission Chair Kimberly Ahern said in a statement Thursday.

“We want to hear the public’s thoughts, concerns, and feedback, especially from those within the cannabis industry, the medical patient community, and those who have been disproportionately impacted by criminal enforcement of marijuana laws. It is important for everyone that we get this right.”

A similar tour was conducted in Massachusetts by its commission in 2017.

Four sessions are scheduled:

• Thursday, July 20, at Roger Williams University School of Law. The session will be held in the Hon. Bruce M. Selya Appellate Courtroom (Room 283) at 9:30 a.m. Attendees should enter through the North Campus Entrance and park in Lot D.

• Friday, August 4 at 1 p.m. at the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), 89 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick.

• Wednesday, August 9 at 5 p.m. at the Southside Cultural Center of Rhode Island, 393 Broad St., Providence.

• A virtual session on Friday, August 18 at 1 p.m. Cannabis Control Commissioners will be present at the PUC in Warwick for this virtual meeting. The public is still invited to attend in-person but encouraged to participate online via Zoom. Zoom links will be posted online.

For more information, contact cccinquiry@ccc.ri.gov.

This story was first published by Rhode Island Current.

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