Just last week Connecticut became the 19th state to legalize cannabis for adult use. Today, the law officially goes into effect.
Starting today, adults can legally possess up to one and a half ounces of cannabis on their person and up to five ounces in their home, a locked container in their residence, a locked glove box, or their vehicle’s trunk. Additionally, the odor or smell of cannabis can no longer be used as a basis to stop or search. Lastly, the law sets aside fifty percent of the licenses for equity applicants and dedicates upwards to 60 percent of the revenue to equity efforts. You can check out a full summary of the law here.
Connecticut is one of four states to legalize cannabis legislatively this year and now joins Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont as legalized states in New England.
We also want to remind folks that driving under the influence remains illegal, and we encourage everyone to please consume responsibly. We are extremely appreciative to all the lawmakers and advocates that contributed to this historic achievement. Congratulations all!
- Take Action: Urge your state legislators to support a compassionate medical cannabis program!
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Connecticut legalization goes into effect today!
Gov. Scott signs bill strengthening social equity provisions
S. 25 creates a Cannabis Business Development Fund to assist social equity applicants.
On Monday, Governor Phil Scott signed S. 25, a bill that will strengthen the social equity provisions in Vermont’s cannabis legalization law. S. 25 requires the Cannabis Control Board to reduce or eliminate licensing fees for social equity applicants, which are defined as “individuals from communities that historically have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition or individuals directly and personally impacted by cannabis prohibition,” and it creates a Cannabis Business Development Fund to assist these applicants.
The bill also modifies sections of the law dealing with advertising and other aspects of cannabis regulation. Before passing S. 25, the House removed a provision that would have incentivized municipalities to vote on whether to approve retail sales by March 2023.
In other news, the three-person Cannabis Control Board has begun working to develop regulations for Vermont’s adult-use cannabis market.
Now that Vermont has legalized cannabis and is well on its way to establishing a well-regulated, equitable market, we believe the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana has succeeded in fulfilling its purpose. Many thanks to Laura Subin, the Necrason Group, and all of our coalition members and allies who worked so hard to end cannabis prohibition in the Green Mountain State!
This will be the final email from the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana. However, we will continue to send you updates from the Marijuana Policy Project from time to time. It is still imperative that we end the federal war on cannabis, which tears families apart, drives up costs for patients and consumers, and makes local equity efforts more difficult.
We are very grateful for your support, without which this important victory would not have been possible.
Vermont: Senate passes bill to strengthen social equity provisions
On March 25, the Vermont Senate passed S. 25, a bill that would strengthen the social equity provisions in Vermont’s cannabis legalization law. The bill would require the Cannabis Control Board to reduce or eliminate licensing fees for social equity applicants, which are defined as “individuals from communities that historically have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition or individuals directly and personally impacted by cannabis prohibition.”
It would also create a Cannabis Business Development Fund to assist these applicants.
Additionally, the bill would incentivize municipalities to vote on whether to approve retail sales by March 2023; if they fail to hold a vote, they will be considered to have opted into allowing retail sales.
Write your representatives today and urge them to support improving Vermont’s cannabis regulation policies!
In other news, Gov. Phil Scott finally appointed three members to the Cannabis Control Board, more than two and a half months after his deadline to do so. If they are confirmed by the Senate, they will begin working to establish regulations for Vermont’s adult-use cannabis market. Retail sales are expected to begin in the fall of 2022.
After you write your representatives, please share this message with your family and friends.
Neighboring states end prohibition, making N.H. even more of an island
MPP’s general election voter guide is now available; please take time to read it and make a plan to vote!
Last week was a huge week for cannabis policy reform in northern New England. On Wednesday evening, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced that he would allow a bill legalizing cannabis sales to become law without his signature. He also signed a bill that will automatically expunge all previous misdemeanor records for cannabis offenses. And in Maine, the first adult-use cannabis retail stores opened for business last Friday!
Sadly, Gov. Chris Sununu has shown no indication that he is evolving on the issue. In a recent appearance on WMUR, Sununu once again dismissed the idea of legalizing cannabis, saying “now is just not the time.”
It sounds like, for Sununu, it may never be “the time” to end cannabis prohibition. Fortunately, there are two ways around this: one is for N.H. to elect a different governor, and the other is to elect enough supportive legislators that it becomes possible to override a potential veto.
There has never been a more important election for cannabis policy reform in New Hampshire. Please take time to read MPP’s voter guide for the general election and share it with other supporters. Then, make a plan to vote and start spreading the word about your preferred candidates!
Legal cannabis sales begin in Maine!
Nearly four years after Maine voters approved cannabis legalization at the ballot box, the will of the people will finally go into full effect today as legal marijuana sales for adults begin!
Adults 21 years of age or older with a valid ID can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of a combination of marijuana and marijuana concentrate that includes no more than five grams of marijuana concentrate. It remains illegal to consume marijuana in public spaces. Maine municipalities must opt in to the adult-use program by locally allowing for marijuana establishments. More details on Maine’s adult-use marijuana regulation law can be found here.
According to the Portland Press Herald’s "Things to know before you go" guide, seven retail stores have been authorized by the state to sell cannabis to adult consumers. The guide offers several other useful pointers on navigating the new retail market.
With today’s launch of Maine’s retail cannabis market, 10 states have now successfully implemented cannabis regulation laws. In an 11th state — Vermont — Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law Wednesday to add regulated sales to existing legislation that legalized personal possession and cultivation.
MPP spearheaded the successful 2016 Yes on 1 legalization campaign in Maine and played a central role in the coalitions that passed initiatives to legalize and regulate marijuana in Colorado, Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Nevada. Currently, MPP staff are playing an important role in the 2020 legalization ballot initiatives in Montana and South Dakota.
Although the delays in Maine were unfortunate and unnecessary, we’ve succeeded in replacing prohibition with a thoughtful policy that legalizes, regulates, and taxes marijuana sales for adults in Maine.
A victory for Maine. A victory for marijuana reform in our country.
Vermont Gov. Scott will not veto bill to legalize and regulate cannabis sales!
Automatic expungement bill signed; cannabis prohibition will soon be history in Vermont, which becomes the 11th state to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis
On October 7, 2020, Gov. Phil Scott announced that he will allow S. 54, the bill to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis sales, to become law without his signature. This means we can all finally breathe a sigh of relief and begin to celebrate the end of cannabis prohibition in Vermont!
Although much work remains before Vermont can establish a responsible, equitable market for cannabis, the governor’s decision represents a huge step forward for the state. Instead of being forced to start over with a whole new bill in 2021, Vermont will soon begin creating a Cannabis Control Board that will license businesses and regulate the sale of both medical and adult-use cannabis.
The governor’s statement on S. 54 is available here.
For more information on the details of Vermont’s new cannabis regulation law, here is a summary.
Gov. Scott did sign another important cannabis policy reform bill. S. 234, which will automatically expunge records for past misdemeanor cannabis offenses and decriminalize amounts modestly in excess of the possession limit.
We’re especially grateful to the many legislative leaders who have championed this policy, to Laura Subin for her tireless efforts leading this coalition, and to our outstanding lobbyists at the Necrason Group for all their efforts.
And we’re also very grateful to all of you who made calls, sent emails, and spread the word about the importance of ending cannabis prohibition in Vermont. Your advocacy, donations, and commitment to the cause make the work that we do possible. But this isn’t the end of the road—there is more work to be done. Help MPP keep up the momentum by chipping in today.
A number of states have enacted cannabis legalization through ballot measures. But so far, only Illinois -- where MPP also played a central role -- and now Vermont have fully legalized cannabis via the legislative process. In the coming year, as many as 10 other states are expected to seriously consider ending cannabis prohibition via their legislatures.
That’s why your support is so important. Together, we’ve built the momentum that will help us continue this fight in states across the country and on Capitol Hill. Even at this very moment, Congress is considering legislation that would end cannabis prohibition and expunge all cannabis-related arrests, charges, and convictions federally.
Please share this excellent news with your family and friends!
Vermont bill to legalize and regulate sales arrives on governor’s desk
Gov. Phil Scott said this week that he remains undecided — please email or call him today!
Yesterday, the bill to legalize and regulate cannabis sales landed on the desk of Gov. Phil Scott. He will have until Wednesday to sign or veto it — if he takes no action, it will become law without his signature.
Please call or email Gov. Scott today and urge him to sign S. 54!
During a debate on Wednesday evening, Gov. Scott made this alarming statement: “In terms of the pot bill, I haven’t made up my mind about that. I have received a lot of groups—racial equity groups—that are asking me to veto it. I was leaning towards letting it go, but I’m really questioning that at this point. I want to hear and listen from them.”
Although we respect the fact that others may disagree, we feel strongly that S. 54 represents an important step forward for racial and social equity. In a recent op-ed, MPP’s executive director Steve Hawkins explained why he views passage of S. 54 — and its companion bill, S. 234 — as “a racial justice imperative.” And in another excellent op-ed, Monica Donovan explained the bill’s equity provisions and warned that, "the insistence on waiting for a perfect bill would simply result in perpetuating this state of pseudo-legalization — and the harm it perpetuates — for at least an extra year."
For more information on the details of S. 54, here is a summary.
We believe it would be a terrible setback if Gov. Scott vetoes this bill, perpetuating the intolerable status quo. Please share this news with your family and friends and urge them to contact the governor.
Vermont Senate advances both cannabis bills to governor’s desk!
The bill to legalize retail sales and the bill to automatically expunge records for past offenses are both advancing to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott — please call him today and encourage him to sign them into law!
The bill to legalize, regulate, and tax adult-use cannabis sales cleared its final legislative hurdle this morning when the Senate approved it in a final vote of 23-6. The Senate also granted final approval to the bill that would automatically expunge records for past low-level cannabis offenses, in a voice vote. Both bills will now proceed to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott.
Please take a moment to call Gov. Phil Scott at 802-828-3333 and encourage him to sign both bills when they reach his desk!
If you’d like to learn more about the details of these bills, here is a summary of the bill to legalize and regulate sales (S. 54) and here is a summary of the bill that includes the automatic expungement provisions (S. 234).
The process of reaching a compromise on S. 54 was especially challenging for both legislators and advocates, and we are very grateful to the representatives and senators who worked on this bill for their dedication. Although the final bill is not perfect, it is a very important step forward, and it would be a terrible shame if Gov. Scott decides not to sign it into law.
Again, please call Gov. Scott’s office and encourage him to sign both S. 54 and S. 234. After you do so, please share this message with your family and friends!
In final vote, Vermont House passes bill to legalize cannabis sales!
The Senate is expected to send S. 54 to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott next week — please call him today and encourage him to sign it!
The bill to legalize, regulate, and tax adult-use cannabis sales cleared yet another hurdle today when the House approved it in a final vote of 92-56. The Senate is expected to pass S. 54 next week, after which it will proceed to the desk of Gov. Phil Scott.
Please take a moment to call Gov. Phil Scott at 802-828-3333 and encourage him to sign it when it reaches his desk.
Here are some key features of the bill:
- Priority licensing for small-scale cultivators (up to 1,000 square feet)
- Priority licensing for women- and minority-owned businesses
- Independent lab testing of all cannabis sold to patients and adult consumers
- Creating a new independent commission to regulate medical and adult-use cannabis
- Requiring a search warrant prior to saliva testing, which could not be conducted roadside
This has been a challenging process for both legislators and advocates, but the bill is now only a couple of steps away from becoming law. It would be a terrible shame to see it fall short of the finish line. Let the governor know it makes no sense to keep sales illicit and unregulated. Consumers deserve safe access to a tested product, and Vermont needs the jobs and tax revenue S. 54 would bring.
Again, please call Gov. Scott’s office and encourage him to sign S. 54. After you do so, please share this message with your family and friends!
Vermont legislators reach final agreement on bill to legalize cannabis sales!
House and Senate negotiators agreed to a compromise yesterday evening — urge your lawmakers to support S. 54 in a final vote, then call Gov. Phil Scott and ask him to sign it!
After many years of hard work by legislators and advocates, the House and Senate have finally reached an agreement on the details of a bill to legalize and regulate cannabis sales. Please write your representatives and senators and urge them to support S. 54 in a final vote! Then, call Gov. Phil Scott and encourage him to sign it when it reaches his desk.
Here are some key features of the bill:
- Priority licensing for small-scale cultivators
- Priority licensing for women- and minority-owned businesses
- Independent lab testing of all cannabis sold to patients and adult consumers
- Creating a new independent commission to regulate medical and adult-use cannabis
- Requiring a search warrant prior to saliva testing, which could not be conducted roadside
This has been a difficult compromise for legislators, but Vermonters should be grateful for their hard work and persistence. And now we need representatives and senators to support the bill one last time before it proceeds to the governor’s desk.
Again, please write your state legislators and urge them to support the final compromise, then call Gov. Scott’s office and encourage him to sign it. After you do so, please share this message with your family and friends!