PROVIDENCE, R.I. - - As of midnight, Rhode Island became the 15th state to decriminalize non-medical marijuana possession, meaning that anyone caught with up to one ounce will get a $150 ticket instead of facing a misdemeanor criminal charge.
The softened penalty is the state's latest move to regulate use of a drug that has become more acceptable. The ball began rolling in 2006, when the General Assembly passed a law establishing a state medical-marijuana program, allowing patients to grow their own cannabis or get it from caregivers, or growers, certified by the state.
Today, there are 5,048 patients and 3,525 caregivers. The marijuana may be used to address cancer, HIV-AIDS, glaucoma and other illnesses. Two dispensaries are soon expected to begin growing and selling.