The commission approved the change in a 2-1 vote after receiving multiple requests from licensees seeking more time to make deliveries, chair Michelle Reddish said. The vote does not mean every dispensary will offer delivery; participation is optional.

Commission member Layi Oduyingbo supported expanding the hours, saying it would help the state’s cannabis industry continue to develop. Some commissioners had also examined how other states handle cannabis delivery, according to the account of the meeting.

Commission member Robert Jacquard opposed the change, warning that late-evening deliveries could raise the potential for violence. His concerns extended to doorstep cannabis delivery more broadly.

Customers interviewed outside Solar Cannabis Co. in Warwick also differed on the policy. One, who asked not to be identified, questioned whether cannabis should be delivered at all and compared it to having liquor brought to a home. Kaden Short supported the longer hours, arguing that delivery could offer an alternative to driving after visiting a dispensary. He compared the policy to liquor delivery services.

The vote expands the hours in which deliveries may take place, but the information available about the decision does not specify when the new schedule takes effect or describe any changes to delivery safety rules. The debate reflects competing concerns about access and convenience, the safety of customers and workers, and how Rhode Island oversees a regulated industry.