Saturday, March 6, 2010

R.I. Office of Health Regulations Files Final Rules and Regulations Relating to the Medical Marijuana Program [R21-28.6-MMP]

In an email to any interested parties the Office of Health Regulations has announced they have filed the final rules and regulations for the states new Medical Marijuana Program. [R21-28.6-MMP] These amendments take effect March 18, 2010.

The Rhode Island Dept. of Health will license 3 non-profit compassion centers to grow and distribute medical marijuana to an unlimited number of patients in the state. R.I.'s MMJ law, one of 14 states to allow sick people access to medical marijuana, also allows for patients to grow their own or designate a caregiver to grow up to 12 mature plants (defined as "plant which has flowers or buds that are readily observable by an unaided visual examination") AND 12 immature plants (defined as "plant with no observable flowers or buds"). Caregivers are limited to 12 immature plants no matter how many mature plants they are allowed grow. (Caregivers could grow for more than one patient and would be allowed 12 mature plants per patient they care for.)