Legislators will begin considering final revisions to adult-use cannabis regulation bill TOMORROW!

The legislature is resuming its work on the bill to legalize and regulate cannabis sales — write your state representatives to follow up on their votes from earlier this year and remind them of S. 54’s importance to Vermont’s economic recovery!

Tomorrow, the conference committee that has been formed to work out a final version of Vermont’s cannabis regulation bill will hold its first meeting! S. 54, which already passed the House (90-54) and the Senate (23-5), has been awaiting action from this committee for several months. You can access a link to the live stream of the meeting here.

This bill was already overwhelmingly supported by Vermonters, and it should now be considered essential to Vermont’s economic recovery in the wake of COVID-19. Please contact your state representatives to follow up on the vote they cast on S. 54 earlier this year! It’s important for supporters to thank their representatives if they voted in favor, and if they voted in opposition, now is the time to reach out and attempt to win their support.

S. 54 is also responsive to the urgent need for racial justice reforms. Right now, the only legal way for adults to access cannabis is to grow it at home. But while 70% of white Vermonters own their own homes, only 20% of Black Vermonters do, and renters are typically prohibited from growing cannabis as part of their lease. S. 54 would not only ensure that all adults in Vermont can enjoy safe, legal access to cannabis, but it would also prioritize licensing for minority-owned businesses and small-scale cultivators in order to ensure that we are creating an equitable and sustainable industry.

You can read a summary of the bill’s key provisions here.

Again, please contact your representatives and urge them to make this bill a top priority. After you do so, please share this message with your family and friends!