RI Recreational Marijuana Sales Start Thursday: Stores, Rules, More

RHODE ISLAND — The first whiff of recreational marijuana sales is about to begin in Rhode Island on Thursday, and there's a lot to know before you can buy cannabis and light it up legally in the Ocean State.

Where can you buy legal cannabis in Rhode Island? What are the rules for purchasing recreational cannabis in the Ocean State? How much can I possess? Can I grow marijuana myself? Will a recreational cannabis dispensary open in my hometown?

There are a lot of questions on Rhode Islanders' minds before legal cannabis sales begin Thursday, and Patch is here to answer them all.

Where can I buy recreational cannabis in Rhode Island?

Starting Thursday, five licensed medical cannabis compassion centers have the state's approval to sell recreational marijuana to people age 21 and older.

Under the Rhode Island Cannabis Act, which was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Dan McKee in May, a call for applications for hybrid retail licenses, which allow licensed compassion centers to sell both medical and recreational cannabis, was issued in early October. As of Wednesday morning, the five compassion centers that received state approval for recreational sales are:

• Aura of Rhode Island (Central Falls)
• Thomas C. Slater Center (Providence)
• Mother Earth Wellness (Pawtucket)
• Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center (Portsmouth)
• RISE Warwick (Warwick).

"This milestone is the result of a carefully executed process to ensure that our state's entry into this emerging market was done in a safe, controlled and equitable manner," Gov. Dan McKee said in a statement. "It is also a win for our statewide economy and our strong, locally based cannabis supply chain, which consists of nearly 70 licensed cultivators, processors and manufacturers in addition to our licensed compassion centers."

What are the rules for purchasing and possessing recreational cannabis in the Ocean State?

The Rhode Island Cannabis Act allows state residents 21 and older to possess up to 1 ounce of cannabis and keep no more than 10 ounces in their homes.

Customers must have legal photo identification to purchase cannabis at recreational dispensaries.

Remember it's still not legal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of marijuana.

Can I grow my own marijuana?

Rhode Island residents are allowed to grow cannabis at their own homes. Residents are allowed to grow up to six plants, but just three of them can be mature. Violating this rule still carries stiff penalties.

Cultivation between an ounce and a kilogram is a felony and carries a potential 30-year prison sentence.

Will a recreational cannabis dispensary open in my hometown?

State law allows 33 retail licenses across six zones in the state to sell marijuana, including nine compassion centers that would function as hybrid medical/recreational dispensaries.

But that doesn't necessarily mean a recreational cannabis dispensary will be allowed to open in your hometown.

Residents in 31 Rhode Island cities and towns voted on Nov. 8 to decide if recreational marijuana businesses will be allowed to open in the communities where they live.

Twenty-five Rhode Island cities and towns voted to allow recreational cannabis sales, while six rejected the ballot measure.

See what Rhode Island cities and towns are allowing recreational cannabis sales here.

Cities and towns that did not hold a vote on the matter will allow recreational cannabis businesses to open.

But even if a municipality voted yes, that doesn't necessarily mean a recreational dispensary will open there. Under McKee's bill, recreational sales will be allowed to start at existing medical cannabis dispensaries first. Future stores have not yet been allowed to be proposed.

The law also created a 3 percent local tax on cannabis sales, which will go directly to the communities where marijuana is sold.