PROVIDENCE – Gov. Daniel J. McKee says he sees the legalization of recreational marijuana as a “small-business opportunity,” and he is signaling that his administration is willing to work with state lawmakers who have unveiled their own legislation to make recreational cannabis legal.
McKee’s fiscal 2022 state budget proposal released on March 11 included a plan to legalize the sale of marijuana to adults through 25 licensed, privately owned retailers – a model the governor referred to as “entrepreneurial” because, unlike a previous proposal by former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, the state would not operate the retail outlets.
“It’s a new business model,” McKee told Providence Business News in an interview on Wednesday. “We will try to regulate it, and make sure it is safe. It will be privately run but tightly regulated.”
Under McKee’s proposal, licenses would be allocated through a lottery system, but he noted that 20% of them would be earmarked for minority-owned businesses.
“It’s a startup industry, so let’s be intentional about sharing the opportunity in all of our communities, including our minority communities,” McKee said. “I think that is sharing the wealth and an appropriate…
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PROVIDENCE – Gov. Daniel J. McKee says he sees the legalization of recreational marijuana as a “small-business opportunity,” and he is signaling that his administration is willing to work with state lawmakers who have unveiled their own legislation to make recreational cannabis legal.
McKee’s fiscal 2022 state budget proposal released on March 11 included a plan to legalize the sale of marijuana to adults through 25 licensed, privately owned retailers – a model the governor referred to as “entrepreneurial” because, unlike a previous proposal by former Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, the state would not operate the retail outlets.
“It’s a new business model,” McKee told Providence Business News in an interview on Wednesday. “We will try to regulate it, and make sure it is safe. It will be privately run but tightly regulated.”
Under McKee’s proposal, licenses would be allocated through a lottery system, but he noted that 20% of them would be earmarked for minority-owned businesses.
“It’s a startup industry, so let’s be intentional about sharing the opportunity in all of our communities, including our minority communities,” McKee said. “I think that is sharing the wealth and an appropriate…
