A last-ditch effort to fully legalize cannabis in Vermont has failed as quickly as it began.
On Friday morning, the Vermont House of Representatives voted 106 to 28 to indefinitely shelve H.167, a bill that had been rewritten as a vehicle for legalizing the commercial sale of marijuana with state oversight and taxation. Earlier this year, the legislature approved — and Gov. Phil Scott signed — a bill permitting personal cultivation and possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Supporters had hoped to at least keep the bill alive for more debate next week. After the vote, legalization supporter Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman said, “I think it’s over for this year.”
He blamed Statehouse politics for the defeat. “There is plenty of support to legalize,” he said, “but sometimes in this building, the powers that be guide legislators to do something that isn’t what their constituents want.”
The vast majority of Democrats and Republicans voted to shelve the bill. Democratic leadership cited the rush of more pressing business in the remaining days before adjournment.
“There are many, perhaps a majority, who would like to legalize with a tax-and-regulate system,” said Rep. Sarah Copeland-Hanzas (D-Bradford) in explaining her vote from the House floor. “But it’s clear we have more critical decisions to make.”
“The bill has not been vetted by the appropriate committees,” said Rep. John Bartholomew (D-Hartland). “Time is too short to create a full tax-and-regulate system.”
After the vote, House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) asserted that the issue had already been settled. “We had similar votes [on full legalization] and they failed,” she said. “We’ve already had this debate, so why all of a sudden, with two weeks left in the session, bring it back now?”
House Minority Leader Don Turner (R-Milton) was one of the 28 votes to keep H.167 alive. He said he is opposed to legalizing cannabis, but if Vermont is legalizing it on a personal level, “It does not make sense for us to not tax and regulate. Having it be legal without regulation and no resources for the associated costs [of legal marijuana] makes no sense to me.”
The effort to revive full legalization has been in the works for several weeks, according to Zuckerman. He noted that many Republicans agreed with Turner, and he saw an opening. “I talked to a number of them over the last couple of months,” he said. “[Turner] had indicated that he was going to work toward support. He told us [Thursday] night that many in his caucus were going to support keeping the discussion alive.”
Zuckerman believed that with substantial Republican and Progressive/liberal support, a majority could be mustered in favor of full legalization.
But Friday morning, that Republican support failed to materialize. Turner expressed disappointment. “I did what I thought I could, working with a lot of people who didn’t vote the same way I did, which is a little disappointing,” he said.
Turner acknowledged that the original plan was for him to take the central role on the House floor. He was to file a motion Thursday to bring H.167 out of mothballs as a vehicle for tax and regulate. “But once I realized the majority leadership was not going to let it pass, it made no sense to lead the effort,” he explained.
In Turner’s absence, H.167 was moved by Rep. Diana González (P/D-Winooski). Turner could have been a more effective voice in building a tripartisan coalition, but in the end, House leadership held sway.
No one thinks this was a fatal blow for the concept. “I fully expect this issue to come back to the House next year,” said Krowinski. In the meantime, with personal cultivation of marijuana becoming legal in July, Vermont’s garden centers will have a whole new market to exploit.
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Bong boy cant carry a bill to fruition. The one hit wonder, brah wheres my taxes dude. Uncle moochie cant even sell half a cabbage? What happened to mr 25% weed taxes and the yellow brick road to propserity. Mr Dribbles cant do it what a wanker. this guy is like watching that stoner in high school after 30 years try and move from his moms basement into his his car, maybe next year I will move the car.
You will have to wait until Phillip Morris gets its arms around industrial growing cannabis THEN it will become legal nation-wide. Then it will be endorsed by the Corporate owned Congress. Then Big Pharma will jump on the bandwagon as well. Because thar’s gold in them thar hills!!!
Ain’t “capitalism” wunnerful?
We’d rather have Dope Pushers in The White House !
All of a Sudden, Home-Grown is Such A Bad Thing ?
The supporters of commercialization and regulation are just money-grubbers willing to sell out Vermont’s future (especially the future of our youth) for the fabled “thirty pieces of silver” !
We have legalized personal possession and cultivation, shouldn’t we observe how that “sugars out” before giving in to the profiteers whose motivation is to see every Vermonter sedated into submission !
Their urgency is spawned by their greed and fear that the public will awaken from their slumber and realize what a destructive result big weed would bring to our Green Mountain home.
As a supporter of the legalization of possession and cultivation of pot for personal use, I adamantly oppose the commercial production and sale of pot. The profits to be made are immense. Once Vermont becomes dependent upon the tax revenues from this revenue source, the commercial pot growers and marketers will run the state house. And if one is truly concerned about wasteful consumption of electricity and the climate impacts of the carbon produced by such consumption, one only needs to surf the internet to learn about the massive amounts of electricity consumed by commercial indoor grow operations. Thank you Vermont legislature for killing this poorly thought out legislation.
Our legislators really are just a worthless bunch. They legalize possession of small amounts of pot but force users to go to criminals in order to buy it. They wring their little hands and cry crocodile tears over Vermonts rising property and income tax burden yet turn away from a new revenue stream because they are just too silly and ignorant to get out of their own way. Why on earth arent Vermonters putting up primary challengers to run against these ineffective nincompoops?
“but sometimes in this building, the powers that be guide legislators to do something that isn’t what their constituents want.”
Isn’t this what happened with the recent gun legislations?
It seems we have a Lt. Gov. who thinks Vermonts single most important issue is the freedom to get stoned.
Pothead Zuckerman wants it so he can make money for his pockets.. Why not he lied about his claims for gas, food, and rooms (reimbursements) which he didn’t pay for.. Seven days and Vtdigger reported on it. He didn’t think it was a big deal.. Maybe he should go back to Boston Ma, leave our state alone..
Its funny that there is a huge outcry against smoking cigarettes, but smoking pot which is just as bad for you and stinks even more is ok? Is this bizarro world. Have they even just once listened to a non political cardiologist?. How about a 20 yr peer reviewed study with a population size of thousands. Fish oil has over 14 thousand studies on it, all peer reviewed. Things that make you go hmm
“It seems we have a Lt. Gov. who thinks Vermonts single most important issue is the freedom to get stoned.”
More important than eliminating vaccines against such diseases as polio? I guess polio is not so bad if you are stoned.
@ Philo
Excellent reminder that our Lt. Governor is not only embarrassingly obsessed with pot, but is also anti-science and anti-public health. (Not to mention being a reimbursement cheater.)
How insane. — Legal sales should have been part of legalization to begin with. — The way it is now just creates a HUGE gift to the black-market, with all its crime, corruption, violence and death!
Start making sense!
Can you imagine the reaction if you offered Zuckerman just an ordinary Winston or Marlboro? How did this guy get elected? Oh right, Chittenden county. Pleased to have a “farmer”.