Medical Marijuana in Rhode Island

2009.04.27

Rhode Island’s General Assembly voted to create a medical marijuana program following the lead of California and other states in 2005. The “Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act” became law on January 3, 2006.

This Medical Marijuana Program allows any Rhode Island resident with one or more debilitating conditions to use marijuana if a doctor certifies in writing that the marijuana may alleviate the symptoms of the condition and that there are more advantages to using medical marijuana there are disadvantages or risks to the patient. The Medical Marijuana Act gives applicants and their caregivers the authority to possess marijuana without violating state law. According to this law patients and caregivers must be registered and have an ID card to avoid prosecution.

In Rhode Island, the certification needed for a Medical Marijuana registration must be signed by a MD or a DO. Chiropractors, nurse practitioners or naturopaths may not sign the certification. As a part of the registration, the doctor will be contacted.

In Rhode Island, the fee for either a new application or a renewal to the Medical Marijuana program $75.00 or $10.00 if the patient provides satisfactory evidence that they are a recipient of Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income. Caregivers are also required to be registered and the application fees are the same. Medical Marijuana cards must be renewed on an annual basis.

After receiving an application, the Medical Marijuana Program will review the application and validate it within 30 days to make sure it is complete and all parts are current. If the application is complete, the patient and caregiver are asked to come in to the Department at a specified date and time to have a photograph taken for the photo identification card.

Rhode Island specifies that a primary caregiver that is a person that must not have a felony drug conviction, must be older than twenty-one, and agree to help with a patients use of medical marijuana. This primary caregiver can not assist over five patients using medical marijuana. One or two primary caregivers may be named for each patient to help with their use of medical marijuana. A primary caregiver may possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and 12 cannabis plants for each Medical Marijuana Patient for whom he is registered. However the limit to the amount of marijuana a primary caregiver may have are five ounces of usable marijuana and twenty-four cannabis plants. The amount of marijuana possessed by each patient reduce the amount the primary caregiver may posses in equal portions.

Unlike the states in the west, Rhode Island says that if you have a medical marijuana registry identification card from any other state you may use it in Rhode Island. It has the offers the same protection to the bearer as a card issued by the state of Rhode Island

Rhode Island law allows certain persons to have and use medical marijuana without fear of prosecution only in a limited number of circumstances.