Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Law Amended

State lawmakers have amended Rhode Island’s medical marijuana law to address public safety problems that law enforcement officials call unintended consequences of the program.

The amendments include an option for property owners not to lease to a cardholder who chooses to grow marijuana. It also calls for national criminal background checks on all applicants for a primary caregiver and imposes a mandatory revocation of a registry identification card for those convicted of a felony.

The state now also requires cooperative grow locations to adhere to municipal safety code inspections to eliminate the danger posed by grow lights that overwhelm electrical systems.

The state also has set weight, plant and seedling limits for both non-residential and residential grow cooperatives.

The legislation was introduced by state Rep. Lisa Tomasso, at the request of Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.