Marijuana debate continues in RI
By: Rebecca Turco
Email: rturco@abc6.com
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The marijuana debate is heating up in Rhode Island as lawmakers deliberate whether to legalize the drug.
“There’s no question [the bills] are being rushed through,” explained Mike Cerullo, a founding member of the advocacy group: What’s the Rush, Rhode Island.
Cerullo feels there is not enough data yet to determine whether or not Rhode Island should legalize the drug, since Colorado, the first state to do so, has only been regulating marijuana since 2014. “The motivation [to pass the legislation] is primarily financial,” he added. “This is not a healthy way to do it."
Supporters, on the other hand, feel the time is now. “We have learned from what [other states have] done and they have shown us that regulation works,” explained Jared Moffat, head of coalition group Regulate Rhode Island.
Moffat estimates the legal marijuana industry would create thousands of jobs and also bring the state tens of millions in taxes each year. "There’s a tremendous economic opportunity here," he said in a press conference with other supporters Tuesday.
Cerullo feels Rhode Island should spend at least five years studying the ramifications from other states before deciding how best to move forward. "Wait, see, learn, be sure, much more sure than anyone can be right now based on what has been studied," Cerullo said.
Moffat argues Rhode Island already has all of the data it needs from the handful of states that have started regulating marijuana since 2014: "We have learned from what they’ve done and they have shown us that regulation works."
Similar marijuana regulation bills have gone through the State House for years now but never made it too far. Advocates say now is the time to change that. "What changes the dynamic this year is other states are very close to passing the legislation and we know that whichever state moves first is going to have a significant economic advantage," said Moffat.
In Massachusetts, for instance, voters will likely decide this in a November ballot question.
Rhode Island’s Senate Judiciary Committee will hear a companion bill.
© WLNE-TV 2016
