Lottery will determine state’s six new medical licenses

Rhode Island’s medical marijuana regulators have unveiled how they plan to issue licenses for six new dispensaries in the state and new rules that would not allow the new operations to grow their own cannabis at first.

The regulations released Thursday say the new licenses will be awarded through a random lottery.

The proposed regulations also would not allow the new dispensaries to grow until they are open and a market study is completed.

The state budget approved in June provides for the opening of six new dispensaries in different parts of the state. The state’s three existing dispensaries are in Providence, Warwick and Portsmouth.

The Department of Business Regulation will take public comment on the proposed rules until Dec. 21 and expects to finalize the rules early next year.

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