Vermont Assembly approves legalization of cannabis sales

The Vermont House of Representatives yesterday approved the bill to legalize cannabis sales in the state by a vote of 90 to 54.

EXCITING NEWS! The Vermont House of Representatives just passed a bill to regulate and tax cannabis sales!

- Marijuana Policy Project (@MarijuanaPolicy) February 26, 2020

Vermont legalized the possession and home cultivation of cannabis for personal use in 2018, with no retail system. The bill proposes to solve this problem by implementing a taxation and regulation model similar to those of most other legal states.

Vermont Senate has already approved the bill in 2019.

«Since 2004, we've taken an incremental approach to reform,» said Democratic Representative John Gannon, adding that the legislation «benefits from the research conducted by the Governor's Cannabis Commission.».

«The main feature of this system is this: consumer protection,» he said. «It replaces an illicit market with a strictly regulated one, offers safe access to predictable and tested products, no access to cannabis establishments is allowed for those under 21.»

A further vote in Parliament, expected this Thursday, will be needed to finalize passage of the bill, a formality given Wednesday's vote. The House of Representatives and the Senate will then have to pool the two versions of the voted text and pass, or not, the various proposed amendments. by the various commissions involved on the text.

Overall, the bill establishes a commercial cannabis market in the state, creates different categories of commercial licenses, establishes a government agency to oversee the new industry and sets tax rates on legal sales. THC in flower will be limited to 30% THC and concentrates will be limited to 60% THC. The legislation also includes provisions to change references in current state law from «marijuana» to «cannabis».

Various amendments will still be up for discussion, for example the level of taxation, with a proposed excise tax of 14%, in addition to the 6% state tax, or the use of tax revenues, with the draft stipulating that 30% of revenues must be earmarked for a drug treatment program.

The first outlets are not due to open until July 2021.