3/18/09: Today New Mexico issued its first license to a non-profit medical marijuana producer! We hope Rhode Island will become the second state to license non-profit distributors, this year.
3/17/09: Today is the 10th anniversary of the 1999 Institute of Medicine report on medical marijuana! Check out NORML's great blogpost at The Hill.
3/5/09: Last night the medical marijuana compassion center bill was heard by legislative committees in the Senate and House of Representatives. You can read excellent coverage in The Providence Journal and The Woonsocket Call and watch videos of patients' testimony at YouTube.com/RIpatientsDotOrg.
2/25/09: At a Justice Department press conference, Attorney General Eric Holder said that ending raids on medical marijuana dispensaries "is now American policy." You can watch the video on YouTube!
Feb 2009: This year's bills are out! On Feb 4, Sen. Rhoda Perry introduced S0185, and on Feb 10, Rep. Tom Slater introduced H5359. 50 of RI's 75 state representatives are co-sponsors of H5359! Watch for hearing dates in March...
12/1/08: The US Supreme Court has refused to hear a challenge brought under California's medical marijuana law by the city of Garden Grove, California, meaning that local and state police must follow state law, not federal law.
11/19/08: Thanks to everyone who came to RIPAC's 2008 fundraiser party tonight! We had a great time. You can still donate at RIpatients.org/donate.
11/4/08: Congratulations to the victors in today's elections, including medical marijuana sponsors Rep. Tom Slater and Sen. Rhoda Perry -- and the medical marijuana patients of Michigan, the 13th medical marijuana state! One quarter of Americans now live in states with medical marijuana laws. Also, Massachusetts decriminalized marijuana, meaning that possessing under an ounce is now punished with a ticket, not an arrest.
6/2/08: The Providence Journal published an Op-Ed by RIPAC ED Jesse Stout and mentioned our radio ads in Political Scene. June's Providence Monthly has this great photo essay on medical marijuana: "Searching for Relief."
5/15/08: The RI Senate approved the Compassion Center bill by 30-5! RIPAC member Kelly Powers asked the House to follow suit with great letters in The Providence Journal and The Warwick Beacon. Also, the RI Medical Society sent this letter reminding RI doctors of RIMS's support for medical marijuana.
5/2/08: A new poll says 69% of Rhode Islanders support Compassion Centers.
2/14/08: A Providence Journal editorial asked, "How are medical users to legally acquire marijuana?" We get that one all the time! Read the editorial. More editorials here. The Providence Phoenix for Feb 21 includes our answer to the Journal's question, right here. US Rep. Barney Frank's answer is here.
9/9/07: The Sunday Providence Journal featured a major article about RIPAC members Kelly Powers, Rhonda O'Donnell, Denis Dubois, Emelie Archibald, and Bobbie Ebert. This story is a turning point for medical marijuana in RI, read it here! A follow-up letter-to-the-editor by RIPAC member Bill Cotton appeared in the Sunday Providence Journal on September 16; here it is.