PORTSMOUTH — A Portsmouth High School senior threw his support behind a Town Council resolution opposing a bill that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Rhode Island.
Council member Joseph Robicheau proposed the town resolution, which opposes a state Senate bill, S-0510, that would authorize the sale of marijuana to people 21 and older and have it taxed and regulated similar to alcohol.
According to Mr. Robicheau, Rhode Island has the highest per-capita use of illegal marijuana in the nation, and that legal medical marijuana is recognized as a contributing factor in escalating the use of pot among local school children.
He cited a 2014 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that indicated 6.5 percent of eighth-graders, 16.6 percent of 10th-graders and 44.4 percent of 12th-graders have used marijuana or hashish during the past month. By his own calculations, that added up to “237 student exposures per month” in Portsmouth, he said.
“Additional NIDA research finds that 9 percent of children who try marijuana become addicted,” Mr. Robicheau stated in a letter to the council.
Council Vice President James Seveney asked about the relationship between illegal marijuana use and medical marijuana dispensed via prescription by businesses such as the Greenleaf Compassionate Care Center in Portsmouth. “This is the first I’ve heard there’s a connection between the center in Portsmouth and illegal marijuana usage,” he said.
Police Chief Thomas Lee told the council he was opposed to legalizing marijuana, saying it would result in higher usage rates of the drug. “We sent two (police) chiefs out to Colorado and they came back saying this thing is not working out,” he said.
Colorado legalized the recreational use of marijuana in November 2012.
Ian MacMillan, a senior at Portsmouth High School, told the council he also opposed the Senate bill because it would make it easier for young people to access the drug than ever before.
“If you think about it, they’re not getting it from their friends. In the end it’s coming from someone over the age of 21,” Ian said.
If the bill became law, more adults would consume the drug, which would then “trickle down” to young people, he said. Minors “who can’t really make their own decision would be the people affected by this the most,” he said.
Opposes moorings bill
The council spent much of Monday night’s meeting discussing and voting on various legislation that’s pending in the General Assembly. In other action, the council voted unanimously to oppose a House bill (H-5847) that would require owners of boats on moorings to pay an annual state fee of from $100 to $350 — on top of the town mooring levy — in order to fund a new state marine safety patrol.
The town’s Harbor Commission had already voted to oppose the measure.
Council member David Gleason proposed the resolution, modeled after one from the Town of Middletown in response to an earlier but similar bill, H-5257.
The council’s vote includes an amendment by Mr. Robicheau to include language stating that the bill is discriminatory because the new fee would apply only to owners who keep their boats on a mooring, and not to those who dock at a marina.
Opposes real estate tax
The council unanimously approved a resolution by Mr. Robicheau that rejects any legislation associated with Gov. Gina Raimondo’s proposed statewide real estate tax on non-owner-occupied properties valued at over $1 million.
“Some of our most valuable taxpayers would be affected by this, and obviously discriminated upon, and I don’t think that’s what we want to do,” said Mr. Robicheau.
Council President Keith Hamilton agreed and likened the proposed tax to a “camel’s nose under the tent,” saying it could lead to other new taxes.
Added council member Elizabeth Pedro, “Such a tax would discourage people from buying in Rhode Island once again. We would lose tax revenue.”
Other bills
In other action Monday, the council:
• voted unanimously to support a Town of North Kingstown resolution to oppose a House bill, H-5473, which would require municipalities to subject the structure and/or resulting shift schedule of any town department to collective bargaining and arbitration.
• unanimously approved a resolution to oppose three House and Senate bills that would exempt single-family homes, condos and commercial development properties from being taxed until a development property is sold. “This would greatly impact us, especially with properties on the west side,” said Ms. Pedro, who put together her own resolution based on language in similar letters of opposition from the towns of Foster, Jamestown and Hopkinton.