PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- More than a dozen medical marijuana advocates showed up at the State House on Thursday night to voice their opposition to a host of proposed amendments that would place serious restrictions on caregivers who provide marijuana to patients in the state program.
The loudest objections were against plans to reduce the number of plants that a caregiver could grow from 24 to 12 and allow a patient to grow a maximum of 6 plants. Right now, a patient is permitted to grow twice that number.
The caregivers and patients also were highly critical of amendments that would require the growers to notify city or town zoning officials about their plans to grow marijuana. The current law provides the more than 3,500 caregivers and 5,100 patients with confidentiality.