Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed House Bill 7593 into law, legalizing recreational marijuana for adults aged 21 and older.
Individuals may possess, purchase, and grow marijuana as soon as December 1st. The bill also creates a Cannabis Control Commission to oversee the regulation, licensing, and control of cannabis use, as well as a cannabis advisory board to recommend policy changes over time.
Additionally, this bill includes automatic expungement of prior civil or criminal marijuana charges by July 1, 2024. A 20% tax rate will apply to cannabis products.
With the passage of this bill, Rhode Island has become the 19th state to legalize recreational marijuana. The continued legalization of marijuana has considerable effects for employers and workers.
As more members of the general public gain legal access to marijuana, data have arisen regarding workplace safety and the impact on recovering from workplace injuries.
Healthe’s biannual journal, RxInformer, recently published The Cannabis Question: Marijuana and Workplace Safety? which explores the issue of growing marijuana acceptance and its impact on workplace safety.
With 60% of the country in favor of the recreational legalization of marijuana, and with 48% of workers identifying themselves as cannabis users, there is much to discuss regarding marijuana’s growing impact on workplace safety.
