Vermont Senate Passes Bill to Make Marijuana Legal for Adults; Gov. Phil Scott Has Pledged to Sign

Marijuana Policy Project | January 10, 2018

MONTPELIER, VT A bill that would make marijuana legal for adults in Vermont received final approvalon Wednesdayfrom the Vermont Senate and will soon make its way to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott, who vetoed a similar bill in 2017.

In December,Gov. Scott indicated that he intends to sign H. 511 into law.

House Bill 511 would eliminate Vermonts civil penalty for possessing one ounce or less of marijuana and remove penalties for possession of up to two mature marijuana plants and up to four immature plants, beginning in July.

This is a big step forward for Vermont, said Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. Vermonters should be proud that their state is becoming the first to do this legislatively, rather than by ballot initiative.

Fifty-seven percent of Vermont voters support allowing adults 21 and older to possess and grow limited amounts of marijuana, according toa statewide surveyof 755 registered voters conducted in March by Public Policy Polling. Only 39% are opposed. Nationwide support is similarly strong. An October 2017 Gallup poll found 64% of Americans support making marijuana legal.

Vermont is poised to become the ninth state to make marijuana legal for adults and the first to do so through its legislature. Eight other states have enacted laws legalizing and regulating marijuana for adult use, all through ballot initiatives. In Washington, D.C., voters approved a ballot initiative making personal possession and home cultivation legal for adults 21 and older.

Vermont and 22 other states do not have a ballot initiative process. Those states marijuana laws can only be modified by legislatures.

This will be an important milestone for the legalization movement. When Gov. Scott signs this legislation, Vermont will become the first state in the country to end marijuana prohibition through legislative action, said Matthew Schweich, interim executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project. MPP is proud to have helped ...