990WBOB
  • WBOB Radio
  • Crush Cancer
  • Past Casts
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • About
    • WBOB Press Releases
    • Join Our Team!
    • CHARITY GALA

Sen. Miller Introduces New Pot Regulation Bill for Rhode Island

5/16/2018

Comments

 
Picture
Sen. Joshua Miller intends to introduce legislation today that draws upon the experiences of states where marijuana has been legalized to create a system to tax and regulate marijuana in Rhode Island.
​

While Senator Miller has introduced legislation with similar goals since 2014, this year the tax structure established in the bill mirrors that of Massachusetts, where recreational marijuana sales will become legal in July.
“Legal marijuana sales will be available to Rhode Islanders as soon as Massachusetts retailers start offering it in July. But Massachusetts will keep the revenue from their purchases when Rhode Islanders cross the border to get it. At that point, we will have just as many people using it, plus an unregulated, untaxed market in Rhode Island, with none of the money we would get for drug prevention and education programs, for law enforcement or for our general fund. We need this bill to give our state the resources to handle marijuana, rather than letting those resources stay in Massachusetts when our residents buy legal marijuana there and then use it here,” said Senator Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence).

The bill establishes a 10-percent tax on the marijuana on top of the state’s 7 percent sales tax, and up to a 3 percent optional local tax for a total between 17.75 and 20.75 percent tax on purchases, depending on whether the municipality where it is sold has enacted the local tax. In total, the taxes would be equal to the totals in Massachusetts.

The proceeds from the 10-percent marijuana tax would be distributed to the state’s general fund and various health and safety initiatives, with a disbursement formula that is similar to the ones used in Washington and Colorado. First, all funds necessary to provide for the expenses of implementation and enforcement would be paid, and then $3 million would be distributed annually to the State Police. The remaining funds would be split, with 15 percent going to the State Police for training, testing and enforcing laws against driving under the influence; 15 percent to the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals for evidence-based programs on substance abuse prevention; 15 percent for public education programs to prevent driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and the remaining 55 percent to the state’s general fund.

The measure would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to two marijuana plants (only one may be mature) in an enclosed, locked space; establish a tightly regulated system of licensed marijuana retail stores, cultivation facilities, and testing facilities; and require the Department of Business Regulation to establish rules regulating security, labeling, health and safety requirements.

Regulation of the substance will allow the state to create barriers to teen access, such as ID checks and serious penalties for selling to those under 21. Taxing marijuana sales could generate tens of millions of dollars in much-needed tax revenue for the state, a portion of which will be directed towards programs that treat and prevent alcohol and other substance abuse.

Eight states — Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada, and California — have approved laws similar to this bill to regulate and tax marijuana like alcohol. Voters in Washington D.C. have also approved a measure to legalize possession and cultivation of marijuana by adults. Those states have collected hundreds of millions in tax revenue from marijuana sales, and an analysis of public health and safety outcomes in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska performed by The Cato Institute in 2016 found no evidence linking marijuana legalization initiatives to any increases in traffic fatalities, crime, drug use, or any other public health and safety problem.

Read More WBOB

  • Feroce Joins WBOB to Defend Bold Platform
  • Two Local Ballplayers Pinched for PEDs
  • ​PVD Fest Returning to Providence
  • ​LISTEN: It's a Myth, Dummy​​
Comments

    WBOB
    Original
    ​Reads

    Picture

    Unbiased, Unfiltered. WBOB's Original Reads feature our brightest and boldest personalities, offering their two-cents on the goings on of news, sports, politics, entertainment, and business. -- Are our opinions always PC? Nope. Are they always perfect? Nah. But, are they always 100% authentic? Absolutely!


    LISTEN
    ​TO WBOB ORIGINAL PODCASTS

    Picture
    Listen to
    ​Past BOBCasts

    WBOB 
    Best Reads
    Brought To You By
    TripAdvisor.com

    Picture

    Celebrating David Clyde: A Wild Passionate Friend To All


    Picture

    Search 
    The Archives


    Reads From Our Friends

    Picture

    The Best Game Development Tools: How to Make Your Own Game


    Contact Us
    [email protected]


    Archives

    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

Search For Your Favorite WBOB Author,
​or BobCast

990WBOB 
An Independent Media Outlet.

The views opinions and thoughts expressed do not  reflect those of 990WBOB, its management or its staff. All Rights Reserved 990WBOB.com 2007-2020
​
Contact WBOB HERE
Photo from nzhamstar
  • WBOB Radio
  • Crush Cancer
  • Past Casts
  • Weather
  • Contact
  • About
    • WBOB Press Releases
    • Join Our Team!
    • CHARITY GALA