RI cannabis officials seek to lift license block after rule changes addressed

Rhode Island regulators pursue court relief from retail licensing injunction following legislative amendments to address prior legal disputes.

FILE — statehouse · B.D. Gilfry / CC BY-SA 2.0

Rhode Island cannabis officials have moved to lift a federal court injunction that halted retail license distribution, according to Marijuana Moment. The effort follows rule changes designed to address legal challenges that initially stalled the licensing process in April 2026.

The trajectory suggests a multi-month regulatory reset. In May, lawmakers considered licensing law changes; by July, state officials argued new legislation should restart the application process, with a federal judge appearing poised to dissolve the injunction by late July. A Cannabis Control Commission chair was confirmed in June, signaling administrative readiness.

Watch whether any restarted licensing window includes the social-equity provisions that originally triggered the court halt, or if the rule revisions have narrowed the program's scope to avoid renewed legal challenge.