“Putting hemp THC-derived beverages on premise at a restaurant or bar is actually the safest way to consume these products.”
By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current
Rhode Island hospitality and liquor industry representatives voiced their opposition to a proposed ban on restaurants and bars serving intoxicating THC beverages during a virtual public hearing with state cannabis regulators Monday afternoon.
Approximately 120 licensed retailers, including restaurants and liquor stores, have been serving hemp-derived THC beverages since August 2024, when the state’s Office of Cannabis Regulation began allowing the sale of products containing low levels of delta-9 THC.
State lawmakers last June charged the Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission with preparing recommendations for regulating the sale on hemp-derived THC beverages. The commission presented its draft rules, including a proposed ban, during a Zoom webinar to solicit feedback before submitting the final recommendations to the General Assembly by March 1.
“Putting hemp THC-derived beverages on premise at a restaurant or bar is actually the safest way to consume these products,” Ryan Moot, manager of business development and government affairs for the Rhode Island Hospitality Association, told regulators.
Commission staff did not state why they recommend banning sales at businesses that allow on-site consumption.
Regulators were asked to
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