Vermont’s Cannabis Industry Leaves Advocacy Group in the Dark
A coalition of grassroots cannabis advocates is feeling frustrated and excluded from the state’s growing cannabis industry. The Vermont Cannabis Equity Coalition, comprising groups focused on medical cannabis, racial justice, and small growers, claims they have been ignored in policy changes despite their years of advocacy.
The coalition argues that the current market fails to address the wrongs of past criminalization, neglects medical marijuana, and does not support small growers who want to sell directly to consumers at farm stands or farmers markets. They believe the industry is benefiting a select few, rather than the community as a whole.
However, lawmakers disagree, stating that the coalition has not been shut out, but rather has not gotten everything they wanted. The Cannabis Control Board notes that the legal market is still young and that changes can be difficult to achieve politically.
The latest bill to reach the governor’s desk makes minor tweaks to regulating sales and licenses, but the coalition is disappointed that their concerns were not addressed. The governor has until Thursday to sign or veto the bill. The coalition hopes that future policy changes will prioritize their concerns and create a more equitable cannabis industry in Vermont.
