Last fall, the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission opened applications for cannabis retail licenses for the first time since the state’s legalization of recreational marijuana use in 2022 — which is still illegal at the federal level. The state received 97 applicants for up to 24 new dispensary licenses, which were set to be selected through a lottery in May.
But around two weeks ago, R.I. Federal District Court Judge Melissa DuBose issued a preliminary injunction against the license distribution process, prohibiting the CCC from processing applications or holding a lottery. The basis of the litigation — which includes three lawsuits by out-of-state marijuana retailers — is the residency requirement in Rhode Island’s 2022 Cannabis Act.
Last Tuesday, the CCC filed an appeal against the preliminary injunction…