Good morning, I’m Will Richmond at The Providence Journal and this is the Daily Briefing.
When Rhode Island began opening legal marijuana dispensaries a new industry was born.
Three years later, though, the promise of 30-plus dispensaries is still unrealized and the state’s black market cannabis industry continues to thrive.
That issue is illustrated in a bust that occurred last August that netted 922 mature plants, 859 immature plants, $79,876 in cash and 279 pounds of usable marijuana, worth at today’s retail price of about $1,800 a pound, $502,200.
Why does the market continue to attract both buyers and sellers, despite marijuana’s legalization?
• The 2025 legislative session is officially underway and The Journal’s Katherine Gregg and Patrick Anderson were at the State House covering the action. Catch up with their roundup from opening day.