Signed by Governor Lincoln Chafee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries.

Highlights:

• Authorizes opening 3 “compassion centers” to serve as medical marijuana dispensaries (Sec. 1).

• Defines “compassion centers” as a not-for-profit corporation that acquires, possesses, cultivates, manufactures, delivers, transfers, transports, supplies or dispenses marijuana and related supplies to registered “qualified patients” or their resisted “primary caregivers” (Sec. 1).

• Defines “qualifying patient” as a person who has been diagnosed by a practitioner as having a “debilitating medical condition” and is a resident of Rhode Island (Sec. 1).

• Defines “debilitating medical condition” as any of the following (Sec. 1):
• Cancer, glaucoma, human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome or Hepatitis C;
• A chronic disease, medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following:
• Cachexia or wasting syndrome;
• “Severe, debilitating, chronic” pain;
• “Severe” nausea;
• Seizures; or
• “Persistent” muscle spasms; or
• Any other medical condition or treatment approved by the department.

• Defines “primary caregiver” as a person who is at least 21 years old and assists no more than 5 qualifying patients with medical marijuana use (Sec. 1).

• Requires a compassion center to obtain a registry identification card prior to opening by submitting the following to the Department of Health (Sec. 1):
• A $5,000 fee;
• The legal name and articles of incorporation of the compassion center;
• A physical address; and
• A name, address, date of birth, and criminal background check of each officer, board member, volunteer and employee of the compassion center, if ordered.

• Requires a compassion center's registry identification card to be subject to revocation if the compassion center does any of the following (Sec. 1):
• Possesses an amount of marijuana exceeding the limits established by the department;
• Violates state law;
• Violates departmental regulations; or
• Employs or enters into a business relationship with a medical practitioner who provides written certification of a patient’s medical condition.

• Prohibits a compassion center from being subject to prosecution, seizure, or penalty for selling, giving, or distributing marijuana within the limits established by the Department of Health (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Department of Health to establish regulations for compassion centers (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes a qualified patient or primary caregiver to possess an amount of marijuana that does not exceed the following (Sec. 1):
• 12 mature marijuana plants;
• 12 seedlings; and
• 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana.

• Limits a primary caregiver’s possession of marijuana to no more than 24 marijuana plants and 5 ounces of usable marijuana for the use of qualifying patients to whom he or she is affiliated with under the state's Department of Health registration (Sec. 1).

• Limits each qualifying patient to 2 primary caregivers (Sec. 1).

• Requires qualifying patients seeking a registry identification card to submit the following information to the Department of Health (Sec. 1):
• Application or renewal fee;
• Name, address, date of birth of the qualifying patient;
• Name, address, date of birth of the patient's practitioner; and
• Name, address, date of birth of each primary caregiver of the qualifying patient, if any.

• Requires the Department of Health to verify the information in a registry identification application and approve or deny it within 15 days (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Department of Health to issue registry identification cards within 5 days of approving an application which will be valid for 2 years and will contain the following information (Sec. 1):
• Date of issuance;
• Expiration date;
• Registry identification number; and
• Photograph.

Full Bill Text