Matthew Santacroce |
Chief, R.I. Office of Cannabis Regulation
1. How much recreational marijuana has been sold since Dec. 1? Did these initial sales numbers meet the office’s expectations? Through Dec. 31, licensed retailers in Rhode Island collectively reported roughly $3.4 million in adult use marijuana sales. While we expect sales to steadily increase in the future, this total was in line with our office’s expectations for the first month. … Our expectation is that adult use sales will eventually increase to roughly $9 million per month.
2. How have recreational sales affected medical sales so far? In the first month, statewide medical marijuana sales decreased from $4.5 million in November to roughly $3.9 million in December. There are a variety of reasons existing medical consumers may decide to transition to purchasing recreational products, so this slight decrease did not come as a surprise. … Medical sales will remain steady as recreational sales continue to increase.
3. What’s the timeline for the creation of the Cannabis Control Commission? What caused the delay in forming the commission? The creation of the Cannabis Control Commission falls outside of the purview of the Department of Business Regulation. These appointments will be made by the governor’s office and confirmed by the state Senate.
4. Once the Cannabis Control Commission is formed, how will the licensing process and existing regulations change? Based on what other states across the country have done, I would expect a gradual shift toward standalone adult use licensing. For the first wave of adult use sales in Rhode Island, only preexisting medical marijuana compassion centers were eligible to apply for hybrid licenses. As this sector expands and its rules and regulations evolve, the state will need to focus on making it easier to launch and grow adult use retail businesses.
5. What are some of the biggest hurdles the industry will face in its first year? With a mature adult use marketplace already in place in Massachusetts and a new market becoming more established in Connecticut, interstate competition is going to continue to be a factor here in Rhode Island. … Rhode Island’s adult use cannabis sector is well positioned to navigate these challenges due to the high quality of our locally grown product; the size and efficiency of our statewide supply chain; and the maturity and success of our medical marijuana program.