Rhode Island Should Legalize Marijuana, Senate Majority Leader Says

The majority leader of the Rhode Island Senate says the state should join others that have recently legalized marijuana, and other top lawmakers who have in recent years been reluctant to advance the issue seem newly open to the idea as a way to boost the economy.

“The time has come to legalize adult cannabis use,” Sen. Michael McCaffrey (D) said shortly after being reelected to serve in the leadership post by his colleagues on Friday. “We have studied this issue extensively, and we can incorporate the practices we’ve learned from other states.”

“Further, our policy of prohibition no longer makes sense with Massachusetts moving towards a robust legalization system,” he said. “We can create jobs, capture lost tax revenue and fund important social programs going forward.”