Cranston’s City Council unanimously approved an ordinance at its October meeting restricting the consumption of marijuana in public places within the city. The legislation – which closely follows the open container law – was introduced by the elected body in September. After several tweaks to the document, the ordinance has now gone into effect.

The ordinance defines a public place as any place to which the public or a substantial group of persons has access and/or view; this includes any public street or right-of-way of the City of Cranston, and associated sidewalks, walkways, alley and alleyways, parking lots, buildings and grounds associated with those buildings that are open to the public, and those portions of apartment houses, apartment buildings and hotels not constituting rooms or apartments designed for actual private residences. The consumption of marijuana is also prohibited at all parks, athletic facilities, recreational facilities and conservation areas owned by the City of Cranston.

The ordinance also addresses that it is unlawful to consume marijuana while operating, or occupying a motor vehicle as a passenger or on a public roadway, and people should not possess an unsealed container of marijuana or marijuana products in the passenger area of any motor vehicle on a public roadway.

This legislation will be enforced with a fine up to $100 for a first offense, up to $250 for a second offense and up to $500 for a third offense.

Rhode Island legalized marijuana back in May but left cities and towns to pass their own ordinances to restrict the use of recreational marijuana in certain areas. Chief of Police Colonel Michael Winquist attended the council’s October Ordinance Committee meeting and shared that there is no recommended limit of nanograms of marijuana considered impairment in one’s bloodstream; he hopes the state revisits the recommendations made by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.

Councilwoman Jessica Marino added at the Ordinance Committee meeting that she was dismayed that the state did not really follow through on law enforcements’ concerns for public safety and implement certain safeguards into the law and give municipalities the enforcement tools.

Marino serves as a civil litigation defense attorney and deals with accident cases; she’s concerned of the increase in impairment due to accessibility.

“I can say in what I do everyday I’ve already seen an increase in this before the shops have opened up, once the medical use had presented itself,” said Marino.

Winquist shared that towns like Bristol and Warren are passing similar ordinances and thinks Cranston’s ordinance on marijuana will alleviate some of the future complaints council members and the police department will receive.

“Right now, we haven’t come across a lot of people in violation of any types of laws of marijuana since its passed at the State House, but on Dec. 1 this year when these commercial shops open, I think that’s when you’re going to see a lot more use publicly,” said Winquist. “That’s why we wanted to get ahead of this.”