Vermont Celebrates 2.5 Years of Legal Cannabis Sales
Vermont has been a leader in cannabis legalization, becoming the first state to legislate adult-use possession in 2018. In 2020, lawmakers approved legal sales alongside expungement and criminal justice reforms. Sales began in October 2022, and the state continues to improve its cannabis laws.
Cannabis Laws & Regulations
- Purchase & Possession: Adults 21+ can buy up to one ounce or 8,400 mg of THC in alternative products.
- Home Cultivation: Up to two mature plants and four immature plants per adult.
- Taxes: A 14% excise tax, 6% sales tax, and 1% local option tax apply to cannabis sales.
- Industry Oversight: The Cannabis Control Board (CCB) regulates cannabis businesses and ensures compliance.
- Retail & Cultivation: Vermont has 73 licensed dispensaries and 317 cultivators. To prevent oversupply, the state halted licensing for larger growers in November 2023.
Recent & Pending Legislation
- H.270 (2023): Established cannabis nurseries, eased PTSD patient restrictions, and extended medical card renewals for lifelong conditions.
- S.72: Proposes removing potency limits on cannabis concentrates. Currently, concentrates are capped at 60% THC.
- H.612: Seeks to allow adult-use dispensaries to serve medical patients tax-free, reduce dispensary fees, and address unregulated synthetic hemp products.
Vermont’s Cannabis Policy Progress
- 2004: Vermont became the 9th state to legalize medical marijuana (S. 76).
- 2011: Allowed medical dispensaries (H. 645).
- 2013: Decriminalized possession of up to one ounce.
- 2018: Legalized adult-use possession & cultivation (H. 511).
- 2020: Allowed legal sales and expungements (S. 54).
- 2022: Retail cannabis sales began in October.
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