Raimondo says legalized pot could add up to $15M to state coffers in first year

Rhode Island could see $10 million to $15 million in revenue in its first year if the state legalizes marijuana, Gov. Gina Raimondo said in an interview with The Providence Journal about the upcoming General Assembly session.

Her comments marked the first time the state has publicly talked about its own revenue estimates for a legalized marijuana market. But Raimondo cautioned those numbers do not reflect significant additional money the state would have to spend on regulators, additional public safety and prevention programs.

And if the governor had it her way, talking about marijuana legalization would not be on her to-do list.

"It hasn't been a priority of mine. But ... now that Massachusetts has gone first I think we do need to take some time early in the year to figure out what we should do," Raimondo said.

Read more: http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20161221/raimondo-says-legalized-pot-could-add-up-to-15m-to-state-coffers-in-first-year