Should marijuana dispensaries be allowed in your RI town? Many voters say yes

Should marijuana retail stores or other cannabis businesses set up shop in Rhode Island's cities and towns? Dozens said yes in a referendum on Tuesday.

As of results available around 11 p.m., of the 31 areas that voted on the ballot measure, most approved of the idea. Only a few appear to have rejected it -- Barrington, East Greenwich, Jamestown, Little Compton, Scituate and Smithfield.

Other municipalities have decided to permit marijuana sales without a referendum.

The law that legalized recreational marijuana use in Rhode Island this spring included a provision that said communities could only opt out of hosting such businesses if voters rejected the idea through a referendum question this fall.

State Sen. Joshua Miller, of Cranston, one of the leading sponsors of the legislation, said Thursday he was surprised so many communities were placing the question before voters, though it wasn’t a true indicator of opposition.

“I have heard that some of these communities that are doing it, it’s because they felt it was fair to put it on the ballot and let voters decide” their preference, he said.

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What did voters see on their ballot?

The law, which calls for 33 retail stores, with sales starting Dec. 1, required communities to use the same language in their ballot questions. It read: "Shall new cannabis related licenses for businesses involved in the cultivation, manufacture, laboratory testing and for the retail sale of adult recreational use cannabis be issued in the city (or town)?"

The law grandfathers in those marijuana businesses already running, like medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivators.

Letting voters 'have their say' on retail marijuana sales

Leaders in several communities reached by The Journal on Thursday supported that view.

“I think essentially it comes down to the electorate having a say on whether they want the state to issue licenses for [marijuana] dispensaries within our borders,” said West Warwick Town Manager Mark A. Knott.

“The way the marijuana act was written, if you don’t vote then the state assumes you want it, so it seemed only right that voters have their say,” Knott said. “The council felt strongly about that.”

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North Providence Mayor Charles A. Lombardi, who is also president of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, said "most of the communities feel residents should have the opportunity to voice their opinion. This will show if there is concern. I’m not a user, never did. But I think this is a local issue and should not be allowed unless the electorate gets a chance to make that decision.”

In North Kingstown, Town Manager Ralph Mollis said the Town Council voted unanimously to put the question on the ballot, not because of any wave of opposition, but because “it was the only option of opting out” if that was voters’ wishes.

“By not putting it on the ballot, the town was deciding to allow retail establishments,” Mollis said. “The council thought it was more appropriate to let the people of the town decide.”

Next door in South Kingstown, another of the 31 communities, “people are talking about it; it’s definitely a topic of conversation,” said Town Manager James Manni. “You will see democracy in action and you will see the residents of this town decide the issue.”

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What if a town has rejected retail marijuana?

Communities that rejected having marijuana businesses will not share in the proceeds of marijuana sales.

Recreational marijuana will be taxed at 20% – a new 10% cannabis tax, a new 3% tax by the community where the marijuana is sold, and the current 7% sales tax. 

The law calls for retail sales to begin Dec. 1, but it will be a while before most stores are open.

The state’s three currently operating medical marijuana dispensaries will be the first retailers of recreational marijuana, followed by six others in various planning stages.

Who wins another 24 proposed retail licenses, and when, will be up to a new three-member cannabis control commission that will be appointed by the governor.

Which towns voted on cannabis businesses?

The communities that had marijuana ballot questions, according to the secretary of state’s office, were:

Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville, Charlestown, Coventry, Cumberland, East Greenwich, East Providence, Glocester, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Johnston, Lincoln, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, Newport, New Shoreham, North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, Richmond, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, Tiverton, Warren, Westerly, West Greenwich, West Warwick and Woonsocket

Email Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com 

With reports from reporter Amy Russo

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Marijuana in RI: Retail stores could be openning in your town