Over 60% Of Rhode Island Social Equity Applicants Disqualified
November 24, 2025
Short one member, RI Cannabis Control Commission continues its work screening cannabis retail license hopefuls
Short one member, RI Cannabis Control Commission continues its work screening cannabis retail license hopefuls
The provision closes a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp but inadvertently paved the way for the proliferation of hemp-derived THC products
Applicants who’ve already navigated local approvals object to 60-day window state regulators tacked on to timeline
Rules require applicants to first be screened to ensure they meet qualifications before being placed in a lottery held in each of six designated geographic zones
“We do not just plan to stand out amongst other Rhode Island [cannabis] retailers, but Massachusetts retailers as well.”
An interview about licensing, the RI dispensary lottery, zoning, competition, and more with Johnny Moretti of Aura Cannabis
Commission awaits findings of a THC drink study mandated by General Assembly
The applicant who won the license in 2021 faced pushback from local zoning officials and eventually withdrew its application
THC drinks derived from hemp were illegal in Rhode Island until last August 2024, when the state began allowing low levels of delta-9 THC
Misinformed legislation would hand control of hemp beverage sales to liquor stores and cannabis dispensaries, excluding the farms that built the state’s hemp market.
