By The governor of Rhode Island on Wednesday named three people to the regulatory committee that will oversee the state’s legal cannabis program.
Governor Dan McKee (Democrat), announced On his appointment to the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Board, the board “oversees the regulation, licensing and administration of adult use and medical cannabis in the State of Ocean,” his office said in a press release. .
“We are proud to appoint these three to our committee to ensure that the cannabis industry in Rhode Island is fairly regulated and successful,” McKee said in a statement. “These candidates bring diverse and relevant experiences and we look forward to working with them.”
Leading the three nominees is Kimberly Ahern, the governor’s chief of staff who was nominated by McKee to chair the committee.
“I thank Governor McKee for trusting me, and I look forward to the approval process in the Senate. We look forward to continuing the good work that has already begun in .The first six months of adult use demonstrate the state’s success in carefully expanding into this new industry. I look forward to working with my fellow Commissioners to regulate cannabis in a safe, transparent and equitable manner for years to come,” Ahern said in a statement.
Two other candidates for governor are Robert Jacquard, now a self-employed attorney, and Rai Oduimbo, a managing attorney at a law firm in Cranston, Rhode Island.
“I am truly honored to have been elected to serve on the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission and serve as one of three voting members,” Oduimbo said in a statement. “I would like to thank all of you for your appointment to Governor Dan McKee and for your support of my candidacy. I understand the importance of this new and exciting opportunity for success now available to businesses.As Commissioner, I will use my business and legal experience to be prudent, transparent, fair, and open to state law. We will effectively oversee the regulation, licensing and management of cannabis and marijuana use in a manner consistent with
The governor plans to “send the names of these three men to the Rhode Island Senate for advice and consent,” according to his office.
Recreational cannabis sales began in Rhode Island in December after McKee signed a bill last spring to legalize cannabis for adults over the age of 21.
“This bill successfully incorporates our priorities of ensuring that cannabis legalization is fair, controlled and safe,” McKee said in a statement at the time. “We will also create a process for automatically expunging past cannabis convictions. We are thrilled to recognize the importance.The end result is a victory for our country, both socially and economically.”
The adult cannabis market opened late last year after McKee announced that five existing medical cannabis dispensaries were also licensed to sell recreational cannabis.
“This milestone is the result of a carefully executed process to ensure the state’s entry into this emerging market is conducted in a safe, controlled and equitable manner,” McKee said in a statement. said in “This is also a victory for our statewide economy and our strong, locally-based cannabis supply chain, which consists of nearly 70 licensed growers, processors and manufacturers in addition to licensed charity centers. Finally, we thank the leaders of the General Assembly for passing this Practical Implementation Framework for Rhode Island Cannabis Law and look forward to continuing to work with them on this issue.”
