This post was updated at 6:58 p.m. on February 24, 2016.
The Vermont Senate voted 16-13 Wednesday for a bill that would legalize the sale and possession of marijuana in 2018.
“For me the question has always been, ‘Does the current system of prohibition work?’” Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Sears (D-Bennington) said on the Senate floor. “The answer is clear.”
Sears and other supporters argued that taxing and regulating marijuana would be preferable to the current reality, with an estimated 80,000 Vermonters buying, growing and using marijuana illegally.
Opponents argued that legalization sends the wrong message. “Why are we saying, ‘Let’s legalize another drug’ when we have people who are in the grips of addiction?” asked Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell (D-Windsor).
Sen. Kevin Mullin (R-Rutland) sought to derail the bill by arguing that the Vermont Constitution requires all tax bills to originate in the House rather than the Senate. Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, though he opposes the marijuana bill, ruled against Mullin, saying the bill wasn’t, at its core, a tax bill.
Sears argued the bill carries an abundance of measures designed to avoid problems seen in other states that have legalized marijuana. No edible products or home-growing would be allowed, for example, after other states reported difficulty regulating both.
Vermonters over age 21 would be able to buy up to half an ounce of marijuana and out-of-staters a quarter-ounce per transaction. Possession of up to an ounce would be legal for those over 21.
“It’s a cautious bill,” Gov. Peter Shumlin said, heralding the Senate vote moments after it was taken. Shumlin, who called for legalization in his State of the State address in January, expressed optimism that he can persuade the House to follow suit. “Logic will lead it to the governor’s desk,” he said.
That won’t be easy. House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Morristown) said this week of the bill, “I think it has some significant challenges.”
House Judiciary Committee chair Maxine Grad (D-Moretown) previously said she has concerns about both highway safety and its impact on youth.
Shumlin, who served in the Senate before becoming governor six years ago, doesn’t have close relationships with the House members he’ll need to persuade. But the governor, who is not seeking reelection, argued that now is the time.
“Who knows what the next governor will do? We could be sitting here six to eight years from now having this debate,” he said. “There aren’t too many governors in America who are taking the position I’m taking.”
Sears said when Shumlin asked him to consider marijuana legislation some nine months ago, he agreed, but was personally skeptical. “I told him I would not vote for the bill.”
After five public hearings around the state, Sears said he was persuaded that regulating marijuana as the state does alcohol would be better than having Vermonters buy it from drug dealers. “The biggest thing I heard was from the kids who were telling us how easy it is to get today,” he said.
A cadre of marijuana home-growers opposed the bill, arguing that it will put marijuana into the hands of a few well-funded businesses. Stuart Savel of Brattleboro, who said he is a registered medical marijuana user who grows his own, sat in on the Senate debate.
“Right now I’m opposed to the bill,” he said. “We can do better.”
Sen. Becca Balint (D-Windham) said she voted against the bill because it doesn’t allow home-growing.
Others agreed that’s a problem but supported the bill anyway. “I’m unhappy with the idea of commercializing marijuana,” said Sen. Dick McCormack (D-Windsor). “I will vote for the bill on the understanding that it is a step forward.”
In hopes of appeasing home-growers’ concerns, Sears agreed to move up the date, to October 2017, for a commission to make a recommendation on whether Vermont should allow home-growing.
Supporters had feared they might eke out just a 15-14 vote, but the bill picked up support from Sen. Ann Cummings (D-Washington).
The bill faces another vote Thursday in the Senate, with possible amendments, then goes to the House. If it passes, Vermont would be the first state to legalize marijuana through legislation. Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska have legalized it through public votes.
The bill calls for state permits that would allow up to 30 marijuana growing facilities and 30 stores to sell marijuana starting January 2, 2018. There would be a 25 percent sales tax, with revenues directed to drug treatment and prevention, law enforcement, and administration of the permitting system.
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John Campbell it is SMART to legalize the NONADDICTIVE plant and to restrict access to the addictive prescription drugs which are the problem. How do you not get that?? It’s 2016 for crying out loud. Use your brain! Unless of course Big Pharma funds you, in which case your position is understandable…corrupt, but understandable.
Addendum: Interesting to note that Campbell does have ties to Big Pharma as evidenced by his support for forcing vaccines on the population with no exemptions allowed. I guess that explains his position. Maybe it’s time for this man to get a new job?
Baruch Zeichner’s childish, accusatory personal attacks on his opponents should embarrass his fellow legalization proponents.
knowyourassumptions I made no personal attack. I researched and discovered a professional alliance the legislator has. Why do you have a problem with transparency about legislator’s alliances? And why do you hide behind a pseudonym? Seems to me it is you making personal attacks.
Oh great. A pot smoking, non-vaccinator. To borrow your parlance, it’s 2016 for crying out loud. Polio doesn’t have to exist. By the way, I’m fine with the legalization of marijuana.
Great news! It seems like critical mass has finally been reached and the dominoes are falling. I think we are likely to legalize fully here in California this year. Our last attempt was thwarted by a massive influx of cash from Big Pharma and big alcohol pumping negative ads. Since then I think people have wised up.
Legalize, regulate and tax!
Mt. Philo no one said anything about being a “non-vaccinator.” Lovely example of making an incorrect assumption though. Thanks for offering that up! Newsflash…the world is not black and white…it’s not “all in” or “all out.”
It was totally and completely a personal attack on Sen. Campbell. First, you accuse him of corruption because he has received campaign donations from pharmaceutical companies. That does not automatically mean he’s corrupt. And, in fact, he is not. Second, what about donations from pro pot organizations? Does that make a politician corrupt? Third, the fact that he receives campaign donations from pharma companies probably has nothing to do with his opinion on pot legalization. Fourth, what about the legislators who receive campaign donations from drug companies but who voted for marijuana legalization. Are they corrupt? Your accusation was ignorant on so many levels.
After much reflection and navel gazing I’ve come to the opinion that the sycophants of prohibition need to adopt a mascot. Does everybody recall the pushmepullyou from Dr. Dolittle? No not that particular animal but the synthetic pushmepullyou that was invented thanks to government sponsored research. It looks exactly like a pushmepullyou only it has the butt end of two horses instead of the heads of two llamas. Its most impressive talent is going nowhere fast.
I would encourage people to actually read this bill. I have been smokin weed for 15 years, and I support national legalization whole-heartedly. However, I am 100 percent OPPOSED to this bill. It is a pile of garbage, designed for a select few to monopolize the industry and get rich. Shumlin is one of the people set to line his pockets off of this. Our elected officials are continuing to not only fail us as taxpayers, but openly manipulate us right under our noses for personal financial and political gain. Peter Shumlin is a filthy used car salesman, and he needs to go away forever.
This is bogus, we the people have a birthright to grow, use, sell, manufactuer, produce and distribute any and all hemp based fuel, fiber, food, medicine and the only safe recreational substance known to humanity. The marijuana laws are the corner stone of the Police State which is why the lies about the herb continues.
I would love to see Education as one of the sectors the tax supports. Home growing can be problematic, at least, until the rest of the country follows suite. I am in favor of home growing and legalization in theory. I am from Northern California, and have seen first-hand the impacts growing can have on the environment. Protections would have to be written to ensure that land is not terraced to facilitate growing, and that more fertilizers and pesticides do not find themselves in waterways, eventually reaching Lake Champlain.
Here are the 13 dinosaurs that need to be voted out:
Balint of Windham District
Bray of Addison District
Campbell of Windsor District
Collamore of Rutland District
Degree of Franklin District
Doyle of Washington District
Flory of Rutland District
Kitchel of Caledonia District
Mazza of Grand Isle District
Mullin of Rutland District
Nitka of Windsor District
Snelling of Chittenden District
Starr of Essex-Orleans District