Home Industries Food & Agriculture Senate to begin deliberation on nomination for R.I. cannabis administrator

Senate to begin deliberation on nomination for R.I. cannabis administrator

By

Christopher Allen

-

05/29/2024

THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY is scheduled to take up the nomination of Michelle Reddish to serve as the state’s first cannabis administrator. / COURTESY OFFICE OF GOV. DANIEL J> MCKEE

PROVIDENCE – The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday is scheduled to take up Gov. Daniel J. McKee’s nomination of Oklahoma medical marijuana regulator Michelle Reddish to serve as the state’s first cannabis administrator to lead the R.I. Office of Cannabis Regulation. If approved by the full Senate, Reddish would report directly to the Cannabis Control

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PROVIDENCE – The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday is scheduled to take up Gov. Daniel J. McKee's nomination of Oklahoma medical marijuana regulator Michelle Reddish to serve as the state's first cannabis administrator to lead the R.I. Office of Cannabis Regulation. If approved by the full Senate, Reddish would report directly to the Cannabis Control Commission and be tasked with coordinating the oversight and administration of cannabis use in the state. The Office of Cannabis Regulation is part of the R.I. Department of Business Regulation. “Michelle’s significant expertise in regulatory compliance, development, and technological advancement position her to hit the ground running on day one," McKee said in a May 23 statement announcing the nomination. “I’m confident Michelle will effectively continue Rhode Island’s commitment to promoting the safe usage and responsible regulation of cannabis in our state.” CCC Chair Kimberly Ahern said Reddish's industry experience "will help ensure our commission continues its thoughtful and thorough progress as we carefully expand the adult-use market in Rhode Island." Since June 2023, Reddish has been the chief operating officer of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. A former director of compliance for Michigan-based cannabis grower and retailer C3 Industries, Reddish also held previous roles with Orlando-based Ravago Chemicals and SLB – formerly Shlumberger Ltd. – a Houston-based offshore drilling multinational that rebranded as an energy technology company in 2022. Reddish in a statement said she was “eager to build strong partnerships across the state in support of safe and equitable access to cannabis." There are currently six licensed retailers in the state, including the five compassion centers that all have so-called hybrid licenses, allowing them to sell to both medical and recreational customers. The three-member CCC is expected to begin issuing the remaining 24 licenses sometime in 2024. Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.