Marijuana Business Magazine September 2018

Rhode Island Rhode Island began allowing the state’s three medical marijuana dispensaries to sell cannabis to out-of-state MMJ patients. The goal is for visiting patients to legally access MMJ so they don’t bring it into the state illegally. Still, it’s “far too early” to assess what impact sales to out-of-state- residents will have on Rhode Island’s cannabis supply or retail receipts, according to Chris Reilly, a spokesman for the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence. The regulation allowing out-of-state MMJ patients to buy canna- bis in Rhode Island was included in the state’s 2019 budget. Vermont The state’s top law enforcement official moved to crack down on an emerging practice of “gifting” adult-use mari- juana, saying the practice is illegal. Some Vermont busi- nesses have taken advantage of what they believe is a loophole in the state’s new recreational law to deliver “free” marijuana. Business owners make their money through delivery fees ranging from $40 for an eighth of an ounce to $280 for a full ounce. “Any transfer of marijuana for money, barter or other legal consideration remains illegal under Vermont law,” according to an advisory statement issued by the office of Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan. This includes “charging someone for the purported delivery of a marijuana gift,” the statement stipulated. West Virginia The latest state to legalize MMJ originally was slated to launch in mid-2019, but disagreement among lawmakers on rules to oversee the new program have put the rollout on shaky ground. Some lawmakers believe issues with the regulations can be resolved quickly, but the timeline for the program’s launch remains uncertain. The state has a tight cap on licenses and will not permit the sale of flower or edibles, which typically make up the majority of sales, so the program’s potential is limited. – Kate Lavin Note: Entries sourced from Marijuana Business Daily and other international, national and local news outlets. These developments occurred before this magazine’s publication deadline, so some situations may have changed. 32 • Marijuana Business Magazine • September 2018