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Rhode Island Bill Would Allow Psilocybin Cultivation, Possession Under 1 Ounce | High Times

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Rhode Island Bill Would Allow Psilocybin Cultivation, Possession Under 1 Ounce | High Times


Several states across the U.S. are forging ahead with their respective psilocybin reform programs, largely embracing policy changes around possession and cultivation while working to implement therapeutic practices involving the “magic mushroom” compound. 

And kicking off the new year, more states are looking to join those ranks. Most recently, Rhode Island Rep. Brandon Potter (D) introduced his proposal — described in his own words as a decriminalization model — with a number of details standing apart from reform measures that have already been enacted.

Rhode Island’s Newest Bid for Psilocybin Reform

The bill, H 7047, would remove penalties around possession, home cultivation and sharing of one ounce or less of psilocybin. The bill specifically notes exemptions for psilocybin, so long as it is “in possession of one person or shared by one person to another” and that psilocybin “has been secretly cultivated within a person’s residence for personal use.” The bill would not work to establish a psilocybin retail system, though that could shift along with broader policy.

The bill also leaves room for potential evolution in federal law, namely if psilocybin ends up being rescheduled on the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The compound is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.

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The measure suggests that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), referred to incorrectly in some of the bill’s language as the “Federal Drug Administration,” would be the authority responsible for rescheduling psilocybin, though this is typically a job of the DEA. The FDA, however, has the ability to approve specific pharmaceutical drugs.

The bill notes that provisions could shift, should federal access to psilocybin expand to include “patients with a serious or life-threatening mental or behavioral health disorder, who are without access to effective mental or behavioral health medication.” In that case, the bill references that psilocybin could be available in the state in locations approved by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Another notable distinction is the temporary nature of the bill, which would take effect on July 1, 2024 and sunset on July 1, 2026.

Prior to this date, the attorney general would need to provide a report to the speaker of the house and the president of the Senate, providing data on the number of violations issued for psilocybin possession, cultivation and distribution. The director of the Department of Health would also be required to provide a report to the same parties surrounding the scheduling of psilocybin and “permitted use for the treatment of mental or behavioral health disorders.”

While the bill has a number of specific differences from many that have already been enacted, this is by design according to Potter. In an interview with Marijuana Moment, he said that the bill is meant to provide more flexible accessibility for those who may benefit from the effects of psilocybin.

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Increasing Access to Psychedelic Medicine

Potter said that legalizing noncommercial growing and sharing of psilocybin would allow for greater access of those in need, adding, “the last thing I wanted to do was create a legalization model that would make it highly regulated and restrict access to people who actually need it.”

While other states have similarly prohibited penalties surrounding possession and cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms, therapeutic access — or working specifically with mental health professionals through guided psilocybin counseling — largely presents an accessibility issue for many citizens.

In Oregon for example, there were an estimated 3,000 people on a waitlist for the state’s first legal and operating psilocybin center as of September 2023. These experiences can also exceed more than $2,000, as reported by AP News, and while patients don’t need a prescription or referral, their insurance will not cover those expenses.

Potter referenced that the price of psilocybin services can be even higher, reaching up to $10,000. He also nodded to the shortage of behavioral healthcare providers in Rhode Island who are already “so squeezed by the private insurance system” that they only take patients paying out of pocket, adding that he does not want to “exacerbate that issue.”

Potter also noted that he does not want the initiative to be driven by money, specifying that the bill is about creating additional options for those in need, “not creating a new industry for the state at the expense of people’s care.”

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According to the representative, decriminalization is the primary aim, though he also wanted to eventually allow doctors in the state to recommend psilocybin to patients.

A similar bill, H 5923, was passed in the Rhode Island House of Representatives last year, though it did not progress to the Senate. Potter said he’s hopeful this measure will make it to the Senate, receive a hearing and that the committee will “understand that there’s a number of people in Rhode Island that have already benefited from this as a treatment, and in doing so they’ve broken the law.”



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RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for June 9, 2025

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at June 9, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 9 drawing

30-33-40-43-52, Powerball: 25, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from June 9 drawing

03-07-17-29-46, Lucky Ball: 15

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Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from June 9 drawing

Midday: 4-3-1-0

Evening: 6-9-7-2

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from June 9 drawing

02-05-13-32-34, Extra: 03

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Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
  • Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
  • Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
  • Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Trump actions could force a recession for colleges, R.I. higher ed leader says – The Boston Globe

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Trump actions could force a recession for colleges, R.I. higher ed leader says – The Boston Globe


Brown University is facing the most pressure, with dozens of research grants cancelled and Trump threatening to halt $510 million in funding to the Ivy League college. Egan said all of Rhode Island’s private colleges have faced some level of cuts, and accused Republican leaders of trying to “force a recession on higher education.”

“They’re well on the way to achieving that,” Egan said.

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The Trump administration has cut scores of research, particularly involving race and LGBTQ+ people, arguing it amounts to diversity, equity and inclusion and does not serve public health. The cuts include studies seeking to stop the spread of HIV.

The crackdown on DEI, plans to block international student visas, and proposed changes to student aid could all imperil universities, Egan said.

“Clearly there’s a desire to change the way higher education operates,” Egan said. “There will be an opportunity or a chance that great harm will be inflicted on the sector going forward.”

Brown president Christina Paxson has declined interviews about the Trump cuts, citing the uncertainty around future funding. Egan, who lobbies for Brown and the other colleges, said House Republicans’ proposed increase to the endowment tax could cost tens of millions for Brown, on top of the other funding cuts.

Layoffs would be likely if all of the proposed cuts come to fruition, Egan said. A Brown spokesperson said Friday the university has still not received “any demands or formal notification” about the $510 million proposed cut.

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“That will harm small businesses, local businesses, local communities, when folks are no longer working and part of the community and part of the economic engine that is higher ed,” Egan said.

Rhode Island’s other colleges do not yet meet the threshold for their endowments to be taxed under the proposal.

Asked about Brown’s high price tag of $92 million a year and a perception that Brown is not contributing enough to Providence, Egan said most students don’t pay the full price tag because of scholarships and aid. He called the $177 million in voluntary payments from the four private colleges in Providence a “phenomenal gift” to the city, considering the universities are tax-exempt as nonprofits.

He said higher education has a major impact on the economy as one of the top employment sectors in the state.

“For those that question the economic impact, you need to go look at some of those local businesses, the pizza shops, the dry cleaners,” Egan said.

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Financial woes for New England colleges predate Trump, Egan noted. A lower birthrate in the Northeast compared to other regions of the country means fewer students are turning college-aged each year. Johnson & Wales University recently announced layoffs, citing decreasing enrollment.

In Trump’s spending package, dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” Egan said he is most concerned about proposed cuts to Pell Grant eligibility — which would make it harder for part-time students to receive the college aid — and the cap on the amount of money graduate students can borrow.

The Trump administration has said the loan limits are “reasonable,” and called the Pell changes “critical reforms” to “prioritize students who truly need financial assistance while promoting completion.”

The Pell Grant, started by a US senator from Rhode Island, provides grants to low-income students that don’t need to be paid back.

Egan also noted that international students tend to pay the full price tag for college, unlike American students who can access federal aid, so blocking student visas would further hurt the universities’ bottom line.

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“I find it ironic that around the globe we’re the envy of the world in higher education, but yet in our own country, from not only our leaders but the general public, we’re not seen in even a similar or equal light,” Egan said.

Watch the RI PBS Weekly interview in the player above, or listen to an extended version on the RI Report podcast.


Steph Machado can be reached at steph.machado@globe.com. Follow her @StephMachado.





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Morning Notes: Rhode Island Wind Ensemble to kick off Touro Park Summer Concert Series – What's Up Newp

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Morning Notes: Rhode Island Wind Ensemble to kick off Touro Park Summer Concert Series – What's Up Newp


Good Morning, Newport! Today is Sunday, June 8, the 159th day of 2025. There are 206 days left in the year.

🚨 You need to know

Get ready for some outdoor music in Newport this summer. Touro Park is kicking off its free concert series today.

The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble, led by Dr. Robert Franzblau, will start things off at 5 p.m. for the Touro Park Summer Concert Series.

The two-hour show will be at the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Pelham Street.

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Our Touro Park Summer Concert Series kicks off on Sunday, June 8, with the Rhode Island Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Robert Franzblau.

The concert starts at 5:00pm and is free and open to all. Bring a blanket and have a nice picnic dinner while you enjoy a fantastic evening of music in historic Touro Park.

Stop by our tent before or after the concert and see our Mobile Museum Exhibit on music and the Old Stone Mill.

For more information and the full schedule, visit https://www.historicmusicofnewport.org/events/the-rhode-island-wind-ensemble-at-touro-park-ygx8l.

📈 Yesterday’s most-read

The following were yesterday’s most-read What’sUpNewp articles.

  1. Unwanted student ‘treasures’ help stock largest yard sale on Aquidneck Island
  2. On the Market: A look at 44 homes hosting Open Houses this weekend in Newport County (June 7 – 8)
  3. Provence sur Mer serves up elegant French-inspired hospitality 
  4. Mah Jongg tournament to raise funds for Newport Mental Health
  5. Morning Notes: Newport Police seek accreditation renewal, public input invited
  6. Newport native graduates from U.S. Naval Academy
  7. Portsmouth High School celebrates Class of 2025 graduation
  8. Tiverton High School celebrates Class of 2025 graduation
  9. Obituary: Alfaretta Massey
  10. Volpe homers and then forced from game when hit by pitch as Yankees beat Red Sox 9-6

📅 What’s Up Today

Weather Forecast

  • Today: Areas of fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. North wind 6 to 11 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
  • Tonight: A slight chance of showers after 1am. Patchy fog between 10pm and 2am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Marine Forecast

  • Today: NNE wind 5 to 10 kt becoming E in the afternoon. Areas of fog before 9am. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • Tonight: NE wind 6 to 9 kt. A slight chance of showers after 1am. Patchy fog between 10pm and 2am. Seas 1 ft or less.
  • The coastal water temperature is 58 degrees.

Sun, Moon & Tide

  • Sunrise at 5:11 am. Sunset at 8:18 pm. 15 hours & 6 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 6:38 am & 6:59 p.m. Low tide at 12:13 am & 11:45 am.
  • The lunar phase is a Waxing Gibbous.

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

Newport County Public Meetings

  • No meetings are scheduled.

Cruise Ship Schedule

Next up on the cruise ship schedule is Volendam on June 10.

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Portsmouth Boys Lacrosse clinches first Division 2 State Championship

Patriots overcome weather delays to defeat East Greenwich 15-6 at Brown University


The British Motorcars of New England made a grand display in BristolThe British Motorcars of New England made a grand display in Bristol

The British Motorcars of New England (BMCNE) made its annual appearance in Bristol this weekend, June 6-7.

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Teen dies in tragic building collapse at Portsmouth Graduation PartyTeen dies in tragic building collapse at Portsmouth Graduation Party

Three others seriously injured as front stairwell of Portuguese American Citizens Club gives way; 75 people were inside at the time of the incident


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