“As we did in Massachusetts, we will patch up the problem and make it better.”
By Christopher Shea of Rhode Island Current
A group of marijuana workers and advocates has already begun to make recommendations as the newly formed Cannabis Control Commission drafts regulations for Rhode Island’s burgeoning recreational marijuana industry.
A group of 30 people, still wet after the rain, met on Monday night at Lovewell Farms in Hopkinton to discuss an issue that commissioners had promised to prioritise: social equity measures to help prospective business owners who may have been affected by the War on Drugs.
Zara Salmon, along with other advocates, have been reviewing the 115-page state cannabis law since April to find loopholes. They want Rhode Island to be an example for the rest the country. The state is already a leader in New England with the highest licensing fees.
Salmon, the founder of Providence’s plant-lifestyle company CRAVEInfused told the group, “It is a big undertaking.” “But with community and organization, we can fight Big Cannabis. “We got this.”
Rhode Island’s cannabis law permits 24 retail licenses. Six of those licenses are reserved to applicants who are social equity and six more are reserved for worker owned cooperatives. According to the cannabis legalization act, a social justice applicant is someone “who has been disproportionately affected by criminal enforcement of marijuana law.” However, Salmon noted that this provision leaves some room for abuse.
The participants were divided into small groups moderated by a moderator to discuss the following: qualifications for social equality, funding for social justice applicants, cannabis technical services and education, lab testing, methods to prevent monopolies, and types of licensing. Three members of the Cannabis Control Commission had been invited to Monday’s session but none attended.
At least, there was a state representative at the meeting. Rep. David Morales of Providence, a Democrat, spoke about the importance of the suggestions that the group could make to state officials.
He stated that although Rhode Island’s marijuana law is one of the most progressive laws in the country, the industry is still growing. Morales said that the cannabis industry should be open to everyone, regardless of their income.
He said that prospective dispensaries must pay $15,000 to enter a lottery in order to be considered. “Many of us do not have the money to pay for a lottery.”
Barriers capital
Starting a dispensary doesn’t just cost money.
Retail operations in Rhode Island must pay $125,000 annually to the Department of Business Regulation to be able to sell recreational marijuana for adults.
Most businesses affected by the drug war don’t even have the money to pay that fee.
Sarah Ouch, former employee of Greenleaf Dispensary in Portsmouth who now works for DBR said: “They don’t even have the cash.”
Connecticut’s license fee is $25,000. The renewal cost is $50,000 (even though the cost is only $25,000 for applicants who are seeking social equity). In Massachusetts, depending on the retail space size, there is a fee up to $2,000 and an annual fee up to $50,000.
Maine’s application fees are $5,000, while Vermont’s are $1,000. New Hampshire is still considering allowing recreational cannabis.
Salmon wants to reduce the fees for applicants who are seeking social equity, just like Connecticut.
Emma Karnes of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 238 suggested that the Cannabis Control Commission could offer “provisional” licenses to social equity applicants. This would allow the state a thorough inspection on the business plan before issuing an official license.
Karnes explained that this license would allow social equity startups a better opportunity to attract funding from investors, since they could show they are on the road to opening up.
She said, “Right away, no one wants to be the riskiest person in the door.”
The Cannabis Control Commission is empowered to issue other types or classes of licenses, even though provisional licenses do not appear in the list of five categories that Rhode Island’s Cannabis act specifies.
All politics is local
Karnes added that another hurdle for applicants is to get their municipality’s approval.
She claimed that many dispensaries in Massachusetts were “appears to be without reason” rejected by local zoning board.
She said, “It is all political.”
Karnes, Massachusetts’ Cannabis Control Commission has drafted guidelines to help local boards set up reasons for accepting or rejecting dispensaries. This will allow applicants to know what they need to include.
Karnes says she would like to see Rhode Island’s commission issue similar guidance.
Karnes smiled and said, “We want to do the same thing as Massachusetts and fix it and make it even better.”
What should social equity look like?
The definition of a social equity applicant is another issue that advocates are hoping to address.
Salmon emphasized that the applicant only needs to have at least 51% of their staff be ex-drug offenders, or live in an affected community. The owner is not required to do so.
Raquel Baker is a member of the PVD Flowers Cooperative. The dispensary registered in February with the Secretary’s Office.
Salmon stated that the state must be extra diligent when vetting the applications, since it only permits six social equity licenses.
Salmon expressed concerns about the assistance that social equity applicants receive and how it impacts communities. According to the law, except for a $125,000 license fee initially collected, all fees collected by state will be placed into a “medical cannabis licensing account”.
All remaining revenue would be deposited in the general fund of the state.
Salmon stated that there would not be enough money to cover the fund. If all 24 licenses are applied for at once, we will have a maximum of $3 million.
Baker replied, “Ah so they played us.”
Salmon pointed out that the Legalization Act has a loophole. She said that now that the Cannabis Control Commission has been formed, the law allows the state to divert additional fees to the social equity fund. This is something she and other advocates will push for.
Salmon and her fellow advocates are hoping to present their final regulations proposals to the Commission by the end November. They also hope to submit ways to redefine the social equity applicants at the General Assembly in January.
Salmon explained that it was a matter of taking one day at a tim.
This article was originally published by The Rhode Island Current.
Rhode Island Survey: Youth Marijuana Usage Declines in 2022 Despite Legalization and COVID restrictions Lifting
Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
The post Rhode Island Marijuana Activism Wants Regulators to Close Loopholes and Protect Workers first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
