Status: Legal

History:

2004: Medical cannabis legalised
2013: Possession of less than an ounce decriminalised
2017-2018: Recreational cannabis legalised although no dispensary system was implemented while private sales of the drug remain illegal

Policy Framework:

Consumers:

• Must be 21-years-of-age or older to purchase, possess or consume cannabis;
• May possess up to 1oz (30g) of cannabis at a time;
• May possess up to two mature plants and four immature plants provided they are securely enclosed and screened from public view;
• Cannot purchase cannabis without a medical cannabis patient certificate;
• May not consume cannabis in public spaces;
• May not operate a motor vehicle under the influence of cannabis;
• Cannabis convicts can manually seal their criminal records;
• Possession of more than 1oz and less than 2oz (60g) of cannabis is a misdemeanour punishable by up to two years in prison and fines of up to $US2000;
• Possession of more than 2oz of cannabis is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $US500,000;
• It is still illegal to distribute cannabis unless it is gifted (provided it falls under the personal possession limits). Dispensaries are not implemented and the only legal way of obtaining cannabis through an unremunerated gift.

Outcomes:

• Between 2005 and 2017, cannabis use disorder in people over the age of 12, increased from 2.6% to 2.8%;
• According to New Frontier Data, total market sales value of marijuana products is projected to rise to $US32.7 million for 2020.

 Source: https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/state/vermont/crime