Marijuana Regulation and Taxation (H 5274, S 0334)

A conversation about legalizing marijuana began in earnest this year when the General Assembly considered bills concerning recreational marijuana. This legislation would have allowed the state of Rhode Island to produce and sell marijuana for recreational consumption, and authorized the state to set specific and enforceable limits on access to marijuana and funneling money from its sale to substance abuse treatment programs.  The ACLU testified in support of the legislation, emphasizing that the 40-year failed “War on Drugs” has produced a significant erosion of the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. The legislation failed to move out of committee this year but prompted a healthy debate.