Where RI's First 5 Recreational Marijuana Dispensaries Will Be

RHODE ISLAND — Recreational marijuana sales are just around the corner in Rhode Island.

Beginning Dec. 1, 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 Tuesday 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," 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."

Also read: Where Can Cannabis Stores Open In RI After 2022 Election?

"We were pleased with the quality and comprehensiveness of the applications we received from the state’s compassion centers, and we are proud to launch adult use sales in Rhode Island just six months after the Cannabis Act was signed into law, marking the Northeast’s fastest implementation period," said Matt Santacroce, interim deputy director of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. "We look forward to continuing to work with the state’s cannabis business community to ensure this critical economic sector scales in compliance with the rules and regulations put forward by state regulators."