Rhode Islanders Find Success in MA Cannabis Market While RI Stalls
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
A group of Rhode Island-based cannabis cultivators has found what they say has been “incredible” success in the Massachusetts market -- after being frustrated for years in Rhode island.
They say Rhode Island lacked a clear strategy — and market — for cultivators.
Blair Fish, who is the former owner of Ocean State Cultivation Center (OSCC) in Rhode Island, just opened Nova Farms's retail store in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTFish said that five of the founding members of the new cultivation center north of the border are Rhode Islanders, but were “forced north to find greener pastures.”
“This is a story about waiting in Rhode Island until we were blue in the face,” said Fish. “We would love to operate in Rhode Island. But we couldn’t wait.”
“We got licenses in Attleboro and our dispensary opened on May 25 — it’s going great, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Fish, over purchasing a 90-acre farm in Sheffield in the Berkshires on the Housatonic — and having plans to expand.
Cannabis on Hold in Rhode Island
Early in 2020, legislation was introduced in the Rhode Island General Assembly to establish certain limitations on regulations promulgated by the Department of Health and the Department of Business Regulation in regard to medical marijuana; it would also allow 6 medial marijuana compassion centers to have “unlimited grow.”
As GoLocal reported, a battle emerged between Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello over who would have oversight over new compassion centers — and good government groups raised concerns about the role of politics.
While smaller cultivators raised concerns that unlimited grow at new compassion centers would squeeze out smaller cultivators in the state, Fish — and partner Derek Ross — said that if Rhode Island were to decided to pursue full-scale legalization, as some are arguing in light of Rhode Island’s burgeoning budget shortfalls — there would not be nearly enough supply in the state.
“There would be about a two week supply before it ran out,” said Ross, of his prediction under the current conditions.
“We’re Rhode Islanders and cannabis entrepreneurs,” said Ross, who worked with Fish at OSCC. “When we were in Rhode Island, there was always a bottleneck — there was no way to fully participate in the cannabis industry.”
Ross said that the three existing compassion centers in Rhode Island ultimately “boxed out the competition” — and that in Massachusetts, Nova Farms is poised to expand.
Fish — and Ross — said they would love to return to their roots in Rhode Island, however.
“[Rhode Island] should start by moving forward with six new compassion centers,” said Ross, who said that it needs to be done in a “fair and equitable manner.”
“[Centers] should be able to partner with a local municipality and jump through the necessary hoops and go through the fair market and producer,” said Ross.
Looking to Come Back to RI
Fish, who said that OSCC investors had invested $2-3 million when it was founded in 2014 before selling it to Magnolia out of California in 2019 “when Rhode Island failed to expand” said his team just wants a fair shot.
“It’s like interviewing for a job — you’d want bring the best candidates in based on merit,” said Fish. “If they decided to do a lottery, how do they do that and get the best people for the job?”
“That’s all we’re saying. We want there to be competition,” said Fish. “We want to compete.”
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