PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A Senate panel created to consider Rhode Island's Marijuana laws has met for the first time.

The nine-member panel created in July met Wednesday and Chairman Joshua Miller said in his opening remarks that the commission will focus on examining data on Marijuana arrests and how much they cost the state.

Some advocates of decriminalizing possession of small amounts of Marijuana say police resources could better be spent elsewhere.

Miller says he's open-minded. The Democratic Senator from


Cranston did not rule out a discussion along the way about


legalizing, and even taxing, the recreational use of marijuana.

The panel includes attorneys, medical professionals and


academics. There are no law enforcement representatives on the commission.