The new legal weed landscape in New England

Also: The energy rule that nobody likes; Massachusetts sues makers of "forever chemicals" [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  May 26, 2022 🌤️ Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Good Morning Boston, It seems we have [climate change to blame for worsening sleep habits]( (and here I thought it was the combination of late-starting NBA playoff games and waking up to write this newsletter). So, make sure you're ready for the [expected warm weather next week](. But first, today's news: - Welcome to the club: five of the six New England states have now legalized recreational marijuana. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee [signed a bill Wednesday afternoon]( immediately making it legal for all adults over the age of 21 in the Ocean State to possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana (and up to 10 ounces at home for personal use). The move also makes Rhode Island the 19th state in the country to fully legalize weed. - Pot shops, however, will be a bit of a wait. Under the new law, they won't be able to open until this December at the earliest. And as Massachusetts' experience has shown, getting the industry off its feet [can be slow going]( at least [at first](. (Yes, Rhode Islanders could just go to nearby Massachusetts pot shops in the meantime, though taking marijuana across state borders is, technically, illegal.) - Similar to Massachusetts, Rhode Island will impose a 20% tax on marijuana sales and the law creates a process that aims to give a boost to prospective business owners from communities of color, which have been disproportionately harmed by drug laws. It also directs courts to automatically expunge past convictions for now legal marijuana possession. - Rhode Island's new law leaves New Hampshire as the only New England state [where adult-use marijuana is illegal]( (though the state does have medical marijuana dispensaries). For now, Massachusetts and Maine are the only New England states with adult-use dispensaries — though [Connecticut]( [Vermont]( and now Rhode Island are all moving to follow suit. - Gov. Charlie Baker may be getting some buy-in from Massachusetts state lawmakers on his [long-running push]( to outlaw revenge porn. - State House News Service reports that the House Ways and Means Committee is circulating a bill that would ban the sharing of explicit images without the subject's consent. However, there are some slight differences. While Baker's proposal would make any conviction for releasing (or threatening to release) revenge porn a felony, the House's version would start with a misdemeanor for first offenses. - Why? House Speaker Ron Mariano told the New Service that many initial cases involve teenagers sexting and that prosecuting those cases as a felony "may not be the best course of action for a young kid." - Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are also working to enact more legal protections for Massachusetts health care providers who help people from other states get abortions, in the wake of the draft Supreme Court opinion that could overturn Roe v. Wade. - Last night, the state Senate added a provision to its budget proposal that would establish a number of new legal hurdles for out-of-state actors attempting to investigate or sue over abortions performed in Massachusetts. Baker has said he's [generally supportive]( of the proposal, but the House will also have to agree to it before it reaches his desk. - Chelsea's longtime police chief may be getting a new job — thanks to President Biden's administration. Biden nominated Chief Brian Kyes to be the next U.S. Marshal for Massachusetts. - That means he'll be [tasked]( with overseeing security for federal courts in the state, as well as tracking down fugitives. - PSA: Remember, this afternoon is when AAA says Memorial Day traffic will be the busiest, particularly south of Boston. So, if you're taking off for the long weekend, you may want to leave early to wait until after dinner time tonight. P.S.— This weekend is your last chance to [get in nominations]( for our annual series celebrating local creatives of color. Have someone in mind who you think deserves recognition? [Submit their names here!]( Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [The debate over an outdated rule that's harming renewable energy in New England]( What to know about the MOPR, an obscure rule that critics say is harming renewable energy and raising electricity bills. [Read more.]( [The debate over an outdated rule that's harming renewable energy in New England]( What to know about the MOPR, an obscure rule that critics say is harming renewable energy and raising electricity bills. [Read more.]( [More details and reactions emerge about the Texas school shooting and gunman]( Local and state officials in Texas release more information, while Americans across the nation continue to express shock and grief at the massacre. [Read more.]( [More details and reactions emerge about the Texas school shooting and gunman]( Local and state officials in Texas release more information, while Americans across the nation continue to express shock and grief at the massacre. [Read more.]( [What to say to kids about school shootings to ease their stress]( The death of children, shot at school, is hard to comprehend. It can be even harder for kids. Counselors say parents should take cues from their kids, listen to their fears and answer their questions. [Read more.]( [What to say to kids about school shootings to ease their stress]( The death of children, shot at school, is hard to comprehend. It can be even harder for kids. Counselors say parents should take cues from their kids, listen to their fears and answer their questions. [Read more.]( [Massachusetts sues chemical manufacturers over firefighter foam containing toxic PFAS chemicals]( Attorney General Maura Healey is suing 13 manufacturers of firefighting foam containing so-called “forever chemicals.” [Read more.]( [Massachusetts sues chemical manufacturers over firefighter foam containing toxic PFAS chemicals]( Attorney General Maura Healey is suing 13 manufacturers of firefighting foam containing so-called “forever chemicals.” [Read more.]( [Here's how much it could cost to rebuild Ukraine — and who would pay for it]( History has many lessons to offer on how much it will cost to rebuild Ukraine, and how it can be done to help set the country up for a more prosperous and safe future. [Read more.]( [Here's how much it could cost to rebuild Ukraine — and who would pay for it]( History has many lessons to offer on how much it will cost to rebuild Ukraine, and how it can be done to help set the country up for a more prosperous and safe future. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Here are [five things to do this weekend]( from Boston Calling's big return, to a free kid-friendly event at the Blue Hills Reservation. - Take the water shuttle over to East Boston this summer and check out the ICA Watershed's [new exhibit of stunning, large-scale art installations that explore global themes](. - Speaking of East Boston, the neighborhood [has a new climate-friendly greenhouse]( that aims to connect residents to where their food comes from. - Eileen McNamara [writes in this commentary]( that Democrats shoulder responsibility for not recently moving the needle on gun control, even if Republican obstructionism is also to blame.  What We're Reading 📚 - Seeing America, Again, in the Uvalde Elementary-School Shooting ([The New Yorker]( - The faces from China’s Uyghur detention camps ([BBC]( - What I Want To Tell My Children About Anxiety When The World Feels Unsafe ([Romper](  Tell Me Something Good [Volunteers create annual 37,000-flag garden in Boston Common for Memorial Day weekend (The Boston Globe)]( Over 37,000 American flags were planted Wednesday on the Boston Common to honor every fallen military service member from Massachusetts, dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War. [Read more.]( [Volunteers create annual 37,000-flag garden in Boston Common for Memorial Day weekend (The Boston Globe)]( Over 37,000 American flags were planted Wednesday on the Boston Common to honor every fallen military service member from Massachusetts, dating all the way back to the Revolutionary War. [Read more.]( Before you go: [Words of wisdom]( from the weatherman, Harvey Leonard. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.