Every session seems to have its own
highly controversial issue – end of life, vaccines, gun control. This year it's marijuana legalization.
The Vermont Senate passed S.241 in March on a vote of 17-12. Under
this measure the state would regulate cannabis from seed to sale and
legalize its use by adults. The Health Department would establish
prevention and education programs, and the Department of Public
Safety would regulate licensed marijuana businesses. Retail sales
would be taxed at 25% and proceeds would fund substance abuse
prevention, education, treatment and law enforcement. Selling or
giving marijuana to and possession and use of marijuana by anyone
under age 21 would be prohibited as would driving under the influence
of marijuana. Unlicensed growing, selling and possession of more than
one ounce of marijuana would be prohibited and current penalties
would still apply.
Legislative Report 4/18/2016 - Highs and Lows of Marijuana Legislation
After leaving the Senate, S.241 was
assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. After four weeks of
testimony and discussion, including joint hearings with the
Government Operations Committee and the Human Services Committee and
a two-hour public hearing in the well of the House, the Judiciary
Committee voted out a rewritten S.241 on April 8. With this amendment
the Judiciary Committee recognizes that Vermont must address public
health and safety issues from marijuana use that currently confront
the state. It stops short of legalization, but allows the state to
prepare for the eventuality that legal marijuana use will come to our
region, while also addressing current concerns. It retains certain
provisions of the Senate bill, including an education and prevention
program including drugged driving prevention, creating a crime for
certain dangerous chemical extraction processes, prohibiting the
consumption or possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, requiring
additional training for law enforcement, and establishing a workforce
study committee. Last week the House Ways and Means Committee took
the Judiciary version and restored the legalization of up to one
ounce of marijuana and cultivation of up to two plants with a license
from the Health Department. They also stripped appropriations for
the Department of Public Safety for enforcement and lab testing while
retaining those requirements.
According to the Rand Corporation
report commissioned by the Legislature, 80,000 Vermonters currently
use marijuana. With the legalization issue gaining momentum
throughout the country, it is likely that Vermont will also do so at
some point. If we do, we must do it carefully and with our eyes wide
open. Proponents point to increased revenue from taxation, displacing
the current black market, and the benign effects of marijuana
compared to alcohol consumption. However, data out of Colorado
indicates that there was an 8% increase in the number of 12 to 17
year olds using marijuana in the first year of legalization, and a
32% increase in marijuana-related traffic fatalities during the first
year. Moreover, the revenues from taxing marijuana sales will likely
be significantly diminished by the costs of regulation and
enforcement. If we are concerned with the safety and welfare of the
general population, we need more time to assess the long term effects
of legalization. We should also have at least as much control over
sales as we have over alcohol. Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Alaska
and the District of Columbia are the laboratories of this experiment.
Before potentially endangering our youth further by this addictive
substance or experiencing increased road fatalities resulting from an
influx of out-of-state drivers or Vermonters driving under the
influence, waiting for a careful assessment of the results from those
jurisdictions before we become a laboratory ourselves may be a more
prudent path.
I always welcome your thoughts and can
be reached by phone (802-233-5238) or by email
(myantachka.dfa@gmail.com).
