Cannabis Laws in Rhode Island Cannabis Laws

Medical Cannabis Laws in Rhode Island

• 2006 – Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act, SB 0710
• 2009 – Rhode Island introduced a cannabis dispensary system, making them the second state nationwide (after California) to do so.

States are not required to enforce federal law or prosecute people for engaging in activities prohibited by federal law. Therefore, compliance with this chapter does not put the state of Rhode Island in violation of federal law.
State law should make a distinction between the medical and nonmedical use of marijuana. Hence, the purpose of this chapter is to protect patients with debilitating medical conditions, and their physicians and primary caregivers, from arrest and prosecution, criminal and other penalties, and property forfeiture if such patients engage in the medical use of marijuana.

Telehealth for Cannabis in Rhode Island

Telehealth is legal for medical cannabis consultations in Rhode Island. You can see a compassionate and friendly medical marijuana physician online with Leafwell today.

Cannabis Laws and Children in Rhode Island

You must be aged 18 or over in order to qualify for medical marijuana in Rhode Island. Those aged under 18 will need a caregiver. Caregivers must be 21 years of age. A primary caregiver must be at least 21 years of age and a resident of Rhode Island. A primary caregiver can assist no more than five patients with their use of medical marijuana. Patients are limited to one caregiver.

Rhode Island medical marijuana patients are permitted to designate one personal Caregiver to grow or provide medicine for them. An Authorized Purchaser is someone that can legally obtain medicine from any of the three state licensed Compassion Centers and deliver the medicine to the patient.

Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence) has introduced legislation (2018-H 8011) that would allow school nurses to administer non-smokeable medical marijuana products to students with a valid medical marijuana recommendation on school grounds.

Cannabis Cultivation Laws in Rhode Island

Up to 12 plants may be grown by a qualifying medical marijuana patient. Only medical patients are permitted to grow.

Cannabis and Employment Law in Rhode Island

Rhode Island’s drug testing statute states that employers may require employees to submit to a drug test if the employer “has reasonable grounds to believe based on specific aspects of the employee’s job performance and specific contemporaneous documented observations, concerning the employee’s appearance, behavior or speech that the employee may be under the influence of a controlled substance, which may be impairing his or her ability to perform his or her job . . .”