The Vermont Legislature has approved a bill recently that would create a system in the state that legalizes the sale of recreational marijuana.
The bill would establish a cannabis control board and set up how such sales would be taxed.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott says he will “take a look” at the legislation when it reaches his desk before he decides what to do. He may sign it, veto it, or allow it to become a law without his signature.
“We’ll take a look, we’ll reflect on all of the areas of disagreement, then I’ll make a decision from there,” Scott said.
The bill also includes a provision for a roadside saliva test, obtained with a warrant. Scott had made roadside testing one of his conditions for supporting the legislation.
The cannabis control board would have an executive director to govern the tax and regulate market. It would set up a 14% excise tax on cannabis products, of which 30% is earmarked for substance abuse prevention, and extends the 6% sales tax to cannabis products.
The bill additionally prioritizes licenses for women and members of marginalized communities and requires that prior marijuana-related offenses not be considered an impediment to people seeking a cannabis business license.
In Vermont possession of marijuana for recreational purposes has been legal for over two years but the law contained no mechanism for the legal sale of the substance.
According to the Bennington Banner, during a Senate debate before the vote, Democratic Sen. Dick Sears said the bill was intended not as a vehicle for generating revenue, but for assuring consumer safety and public education.
“Consumer safety issues surrounding marijuana led me to support this bill,” Sears said. “The tax revenue for me is secondary.”
Republican Sen. Joe Benning remarked, “We need to get hold of this as much as we possibly can. Is this the cure-all? Certainty not. This process continues. This is not waving of magic wand in which all this is resolved.”
