Connect with us

Cannabis News

Rhode Island Marijuana Business License Lottery Blocked By Federal Judge Amid Challenge To Residency Rules

Published

2 months ago

on

“Knowing that the Act faced legal challenges … the CCC went ahead with its plan to implement the Act and its licensing scheme. The resulting fallout will therefore be self-executing.”

By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Currant

Almost 100 applicants competing 20 new cannabis retail licenses were to be issued by lottery May has been in limbo since a federal judge’s order this week halted the plan.

U.S. District Court Judge Melissa DuBose on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction against the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Board. The commission is a defendant in three federal lawsuits filed by out-of-state employers over the state’s residency requirement for retail licenses.

DuBose’s order blocks regulators from holding a license lottery or even continuing to review and review retail license applications submitted to the commission until Dec. 29, 2025.

“It’s very frustrating right now,” Jason Calderon, a grower who applied for a retail license in North Kingstown, said in an interview. “This certainly could have been avoided. All we’ve done now is give existing monopolies more time to become monopolies.”

Commission spokeswoman Charon Rose said Friday that regulators were aware of the ruling and were reviewing the implications for the adult retail use licensing program.

“At this time, the commission is not in a position to provide a definitive timeline,” he said in an email to the Rhode Island Current. “Additional guidance will be provided as it becomes available.”

Legal challenges began in May 2024, California cannabis entrepreneur Justyna Jensen sue The Cannabis Control Commission in U.S. District Court in Providence argued that Rhode Island’s residency requirement violated the state’s commercial protections under the state’s Cannabis Act of 2022.

Jensen filed similar lawsuits in other states, including California and New York.

Jensen stated in his initial lawsuit that he intended to become a majority owner of a social equity business, a specialty license reserved for those affected by the war on drugs.

John Kenney, a Florida resident, filed a second federal lawsuit against the Cannabis Control Commission in May 2024 also challenging the residency requirement. Justin Palmore of California filed a third lawsuit on similar grounds on November 24, 2025.

None of the defendants were among the 97 companies vying for a Rhode Island license following the state’s call for applications late last year.

Passed by state lawmakers in 2022, the Rhode Island Cannabis Act called for 24 new retail stores across the state, with six licenses reserved for social equity applicants and another six for employee-owned cooperative stores.

Not all license types received applications in each of the six geographic areas, which allowed regulators to limit the maximum number of licenses to 20 statewide.

Out-of-state investors and ownership are permitted under the law, but a majority—51 percent—of a cannabis company must be owned by a Rhode Island resident.

DuBose dismissed Jensen and Kenney’s suits in February 2025, finding the complaints premature because state regulators had not finalized the rules governing Rhode Island’s retail licenses. The regulations were issued in May last year.

But the cases were revived last November by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, which ordered DuBose to issue rulings on the merits at least 45 days before the date the Cannabis Control Commission plans to issue retail licenses.

The deadline set by the Commission for the licenses planned in October would be granted in the second quarter of 2026, in May.

Did the state waste time?

The state argued in its legal filings that the residency requirement gives regulators power, jurisdiction and oversight over all retail licensees.

But DuBose eventually found that Rhode Island’s residency requirement was not well suited to advance the state’s interests. It also found that the plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm because the commission agreed it would not authorize the 24 additional licenses allowed under state law.

The state also tried to get the plaintiffs’ licenses to be considered at the 11th hour. DuBose said the state had plenty of time to make changes to its rules.

“Knowing that the Act faced legal challenges in this Court, the CCC proceeded with its plan to implement the Act and its licensing scheme,” DuBose. he wrote. “The resulting fall will be purely self-inflicted.”

It’s the same line that has attorney Allan Fung, a former Republican Cranston mayor and congressional and gubernatorial candidate representing several retail applicants, questioning why the state didn’t act sooner to avoid the license freeze.

“It’s disappointing that the state didn’t fix the statute and fix these issues sooner, or find a compromise with these three plaintiffs, before people put their life savings at risk,” Fung said in a text message to the Rhode Island Current. “The industry cannot wait any longer.”

Licensing has certainly been slow for cannabis retailers.

It was more than a year after the state legalized recreational cannabis before a three-member commission charged with regulating the industry was unveiled in June 2023. The commission had to hire staff to write proposals and review rules adopted in other states. Rhode Island’s rules governing retail cannabis were finally approved in May 2025. Chairman Kim Ahern stepped down last October to become attorney general, and Gov. Dan McKee (D) has yet to name a successor.

In recent months, the remaining two commissioners considered slowing down the process further Staggering the draw of 20 licenses, instead of giving them all at once. No final decision was made at the last meeting held on March 13.

“It’s always been something the whole time,” Calderon said. “Now it’s this new hurdle.”

That hurdle means many applicants have been paying rent in their storefronts for months waiting to see if they’ll be selected for the license lottery.

“My very frustrated clients have invested tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars to follow a complicated set of rules at the state and local level only to be swept under the rug at the eleventh hour,” Fung said.

Calderon is a little better off financially, as he said the deal in place for the proposed store in North Kingstown doesn’t require rent to be paid until June.

“Obviously that’s going to come and go without a store,” he said. “I’ll probably lose the location because I won’t be able to cover and hold while the state figures out what the next plan is going to be.”

The regulations require that each application secure a location, including zoning approval from the city or town where the store is to be located. Andre Dev, founder of the Community Cannabis Network of Rhode Island, rules that acts as an incubator for many future working cooperatives.

“A lot of other states only require a fee and you don’t have to have your business ready,” he said in an interview. “Most of these applicants could not open the doors because there was no ready test.”

Dev applauded the fact that applicants were able to get those approvals on time after a three-month application window, which left the court dismayed that they never even filed in Rhode Island.

“Somehow their rights are more important than those of us who have put in the time and effort to do all this,” Dev said. “It’s up to the board to sort this out in a way that causes the least harm to people.”

DuBose suggested in his ruling that the state could refund applicants who decide it’s not worth the wait or transfer current applications to a hypothetical new process.

Both houses of the Rhode Island General Assembly have pending bills to remove the residency requirement. Legislation Sponsored by Representative Scott Slater, a Providence Democrat, the House Committee on Corporations heard it on March 12, where it was held for further scrutiny, standard practice for the bill’s first review.

“Obviously we’re going to have to go through something to fix that,” Slater said in an interview. “We need to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We definitely need to open more stores.”

Dev asked the commission to issue emergency rules within 30 days, removing the mandated language and establishing temporary application procedures consistent with the court’s ruling, noting that the state’s cannabis law declares all provisions severable.

“They have the power to deal with it,” he said.

The Cannabis Control Board is scheduled to meet on Friday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m.

This story was first published by the Rhode Island Currant.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Concert Series Specials launched for state medical cannabis patients

Published

11 hours ago

on

June 8, 2026

By











Post Dispensary, Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary, is connecting with patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Hopkinsville and surrounding areas by aligning unique specials with the region’s summer concert calendar. Located at 300 N Main St. in Beaver Dam, minutes from major highways connecting these vibrant cities.

This summer, The Post Dispensary is offering special pricing and incentives for Concert Series Events at the Beaver Dam Amphitheater, SPARKS in the Park 4th of July celebration and surrounding events, such as Owensboro’s ROMP Festival (June 24-27, 2026). Patients can stop by before or after shows for big savings.

“We’re more than just a booty,” said a dispensary representative. “From Owensboro’s world-class ROMP Festival to Beaver Dam’s Amphitheater events, we’re making it convenient and budget-friendly for patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Hartford and beyond to combine our love of music with compassionate care and an affordable product.”

The Post Dispensary hosts regular Patient Guidance events on the second Saturday of every month. These units have professionals on hand to assess patients and issue written certificates at low cost, application support and expert consultations in a welcoming environment. The next Patient Drive aligns perfectly with summer travel patterns, making it easy for patients from Owensboro, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Henderson, Madisonville and surrounding towns to plan a trip to Beaver Dam that combines care with community and entertainment.

For more information:
Post-Dispensary
thepostdispensary.com/










Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Missouri GOP Lawmakers Hope Trump’s Psychedelics Order Boosts Efforts To Allow Military Veteran Access In The State

Published

11 hours ago

on

June 8, 2026

By

“Congratulations to President Trump for stepping up and taking the lead on this. PTSD is a killer among veterans.”

By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent

Missouri state representative Dave Griffith has spent the past five years researching how psychedelic-assisted therapy has helped veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

His last legislative session in the House ended this May, and he pushed legislation for the last time allow clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy in Missouri. In the final days of the session, the bill stalled in the Missouri Senate after passing the House with overwhelming support.

“I’m not going to be there next year, I’m term-limited,” said Griffith, a Republican who served as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committee. “It’s really about passing the torch to a lot of other veterans who are on the Veterans Commission and see the value in that.”

He was hopeful when he saw an announcement The US Department of Veterans Affairs announced last week a new clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy.or MDMA-assisted therapy. MDMA is a synthetic substance made in a laboratory, according to the department, and is also called “ecstasy” or “molly” in recreational use.

“Congratulations to President Trump for stepping up and taking the lead on this,” said Griffith of Jefferson City. “PTSD is a killer among veterans. If you just listen to the testimony that’s been happening over the last five years in the Missouri House, the life-changing it’s been for them is a compelling reason why something like this works.”

A new trial follows Trump signed an executive order in April, “Expediting Medical Treatment for Serious Mental Illness.” The order aims to increase participation in clinical trials and accelerate innovative research models and drug approvals for psychedelics.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate at least $50 million to support and collaborate with state governments that “have established or are developing programs to advance psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness.”

Without passing the legislation, Missouri will miss this opportunity, said Republican state representative Matthew Overcast of Ava.

Cloud hoped that Trump’s April order would help “grease the wheels” this year by state Rep. Richard West and state Rep. Richard West who sponsored the state to conduct a study on psilocybin and ibogaine therapy.

“The last couple of months there’s been a lot of feds on things that the states are reluctant to move forward with here,” Overcast said. “So it’s exciting.”

According to the VA’s announcement, the department is involved in 19 other active clinical trials focused on psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions that have received more than $23 million in outside funding.

The new trial, called “A Randomized Controlled Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder in US Veterans,” will enroll about 80 veterans and compare outcomes between those receiving MDMA-assisted therapy and those receiving the same psychotherapy with an active placebo. VA is coordinating with the US Food and Drug Administration and plans to share trial data with FDA.

The trial will be conducted at the VA Providence Healthcare System, and will recruit veterans from the Providence, Rhode Island, campus in West Haven, Connecticut, and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

Trump’s executive order says there have been more than 6,000 veteran suicides per year for more than 20 years, and the current veteran suicide rate is twice that of the adult non-veteran population.

He says people with major depressive disorder and substance abuse disorder, among other serious mental illnesses, may relapse or fail to respond fully to standard medical and psychiatric therapies.

“Despite significant federal investment in research into potential advances in mental health care and treatment, our medical research system has yet to produce approved therapies that promote lasting improvements in the mental health status of the most complex patients,” the order states. “Innovative methods are needed to find long-term solutions for these Americans beyond existing prescription drugs.”

Missouri veterans John and Kara Grady, who own a hemp shop in Rosebud, strongly agree with the statement, they said. And they’d like to see Missouri’s veterans health system participate in clinical trials already underway.

“President Trump is opening up investigations for the veteran community,” said John Grady, “If you look at the numbers … we’ve lost more in the wars with mental health than we’ve lost.”

The lack of movement on psychedelic-assisted therapy legislation is among the reasons why John Grady is running for state representative over Bruce Sassmann in the state’s Republican primary.

“If you don’t agree with Trump on everything, at least he’s addressing this veteran issue right here,” Grady said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to stop that number, we’ll stop that flow of our precious veterans dying by their own hands because they don’t have treatment.”

This story was first published by the Missouri Independent.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Continue Reading

Cannabis News

Germany’s medical cannabis imports post first quarterly decline since early 2024

Published

1 day ago

on

June 7, 2026

By

German imports of medical cannabis flowers fell to 50.5 tonnes in the first quarter of 2026, down from 60.8 tonnes in the previous quarter, the decline from the first quarter of 2024. According to a new EU and UK market update from Whitney Economics.

The drop lands against a year that went backwards. Germany took in more than 2025 tonnes of the product in 2025, more than double the 72,850 kilograms recorded in 2024, and import volumes have risen every year since 2018, when the figure remained below 4,500 kilograms. The first quarter number continues to match the high pace of 2025, which is why the report treats it as an early sign of stabilization rather than a turnaround.

Prices
The volume has not created a stable price. A gram of cannabis in a German pharmacy is approaching 4 euros, while a gram on the illegal market is around 8 euros, reversing the usual relationship between regulated and unregulated supply. The wholesale price is around 2 euros per gram, roughly half the retail price at the pharmacy. Pharmacy prices breached 3.99 euros in November 2025, and the report puts the overall compression close to 25% in two and a half years.

Germany legalized ownership in 2024 and restricted sales to pharmaceutical and telemedicine providers. Two access roads run parallel. Medical cannabis is mainly prescribed through private prescriptions, and recreational cannabis is available through membership of a cannabis association, with 400 licensed cultivation associations across the country, although the exact count varies by source. It is the medical segment that drives market growth, not the recreational segment.

Growth is based on telemedicine
 Patients fill out an online questionnaire, receive a prescription from an affiliated physician, and in many cases have their order filled through an integrated pharmacy partner, with delivery within days and, in some cities, within hours. Between 600,000 and 700,000 self-employed consumers are supported by the telemedicine industry, compared to 200,000 to 300,000 medical patients supported by pharmacies. Total imports are now sufficient to supply between 900,000 and one million consumers.

© Philiprowe | Dreamstime

Market exposure
Critics argue that commercial interests risk overshadowing the medical nature of the system, and treatment does not always meet the required standard of control. Legislative initiatives that would tighten the framework are already on the table, including mandatory in-person inquiries and a ban on distribution of mail requests. The likely result of both measures is a significant decline in demand for medical cannabis flowers. Many telemedicine companies are preparing for the opportunity by building networks with local doctors and pharmacies.

Where patients and consumers would go if medical access is curtailed is an open question, as the recreational market lacks a real alternative for patients and cannabis clubs continue to face licensing hurdles at the state level.

Part of the difficulty in reading the market is that import figures say less than they seem. More cannabis is entering the country than ever before, but how much is reaching consumers and what the actual demand is is unclear. Without a nationwide data framework, the market functions as a black box, and excess supply and actual demand are difficult to measure with great precision. Supply has tended to expand faster than the market can absorb, with no forecast to confirm mature demand, and prices have adjusted downward as a result.

Germany has had a signal effect across Europe since the start of its reform, although its model has drawn criticism, with the mixing of medical and recreational consumption a recurring complaint. Countries that have traditionally taken a conservative line, France among them, have gone to a more formalized medical field, under stricter conditions and without adopting the medical flower like Germany.

For more information:
Whitney Economics
Beau Whitney
(503) 724-3084
www.whitneyeconomics.com

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2021 The Art of MaryJane Media