PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Customers began lining as much as purchase leisure marijuana in Rhode Island on Thursday, a bit greater than six months after Gov. Dan McKee signed laws allowing such gross sales to folks 21 and older.
Five shops are at present allowed to promote leisure hashish merchandise, however the state might ultimately have as many as 33 shops, in response to the legislation. The shops approved to open by the state Office of Cannabis Regulation up to now are in Central Falls, Providence, Pawtucket, Portsmouth and Warwick. All 5 had already been promoting medical marijuana.
“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,” the Democratic governor mentioned in a press release final week.
Mother Earth Wellness in Pawtucket usually opens at 8 a.m. however folks had been already ready exterior when it opened at 5 a.m. on Thursday, co-owner Joe Pakuris mentioned. The retailer made its first leisure sale at 5:18 a.m.
The retailer had welcomed about 300 clients by mid-morning, about 80% of whom had been leisure consumers, he mentioned.
“We’ve had a very successful day,” he mentioned. “I think it has been a smooth transition and the state has done an excellent job of rolling out this program. Everything’s great.”
The legislation imposes a ten% state hashish excise tax along with the 7% state gross sales tax and three% native tax for town or city during which the sale takes place. It’s anticipated to generate about $15 million in tax revenues within the first full fiscal yr of gross sales.
The legislation prohibits smoking or vaping hashish merchandise in any public place the place smoking or vaping of tobacco merchandise is prohibited, and wherever the place there’s potential hurt to youngsters. People are additionally not allowed to function a car whereas beneath the affect of hashish.
The laws additionally gives for the expungement of any prior conviction for possession of hashish that will probably be decriminalized.
About 20 states nationwide had authorised leisure marijuana gross sales, together with neighboring Massachusetts the place it’s been authorized for about 4 years. In Connecticut, leisure pot has been legalized however gross sales aren’t anticipated to start out till subsequent yr.
Not everyone seems to be blissful. State legislation enforcement businesses have expressed concern in regards to the potential for extra impaired motorists on the roads.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”