North Smithfield, Rhode Island started as a farming community when the town was founded back in 1666. Love freshly baked goods and creamy treats? Wright’s Dairy Farm and Bakery is perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth. Nothing is better than watching the cows get milked and tasting the fresh ice cream and flavored milk that Wright’s has to offer! Work off some of that fresh ice cream at Purgatory Chasm State Reservation, featuring great views plus miles of hiking and biking trails, climbing and more. Of course, if you’re looking to learn more about the culture of the area head to the Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket to learn more about the city’s textile manufacturing heritage. Finally, feel the nostalgia and finish off your night at the Rustic Drive-in Theater. Fill up your car with some friends and head to the double feature for a fun night out.
Cannabis laws in North Smithfield are a little bit different from the rest of Rhode Island. Of course, only medical cannabis is legal in the state, and any resident who has been certified by a doctor with any of the following medical conditions can legally purchase cannabis: Alzheimer’s, Autism, Cachexia, Cancer, Chronic pain, Crohn’s, Glaucoma, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, Nausea, Persistent muscle spasms, PTSD or Seizures. Later, in 2009, Rhode Island began licensing dispensaries, which allowed med patients to purchase 2.5 ounces of flower every two weeks. In 2013, Rhode Island successfully decriminalized possession for adults where those caught possessing less than 1 ounce of marijuana are subject to a $150 fine. When the state’s medical marijuana law passed, North Smithfield was one of several towns that waited to pass regulations on where medical marijuana could be grown. Because of this, in 2017 the city council finally voted to restrict where businesses could grow medical marijuana; restricting licensed cultivators with a special use permit to grow in the business highway, manufacturing and limited commercial zoning districts. Now, we’re finally hoping that 2021 will be the year that Rhode Island finally legalizes recreational marijuana.