Lawmakers in Vermont snuffed a revived bid to legalize recreational marijuana Wednesday, slashing the state’s odds of soon becoming the ninth in the nation with legal weed.
Vermont’s House of Representatives voted against considering a measure legalizing marijuana during a special veto session Wednesday evening, effectively sidelining the effort until lawmakers reconvene next year.
The Green Mountain State became the first in the country to legalize marijuana through the legislative process rather than a voter referendum back in May, but Gov. Phil Scott, a first-term Republican, vetoed the bill two weeks later over public safety concerns, setting the stage for this week’s special session.
Democrats addressed the governor’s concerns in a revamped version of the bill introduced in the state Senate earlier Wednesday and easily passed by voice vote. The effort failed to find success in the state House, however, and fell short of garnering enough support to be considered before this week’s special session expires.
“Everybody in this state understands that marijuana is going to become law in Vermont at some point,” Vermont House Republican Leader Don Turner said Wednesday, the Burlington Free Press reported.
“Someday, it’s going to be here,” Mr. Turned added. “But is this the time? I don’t know.”
If approved, the bill would have legalized the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and the cultivation of up to two mature and four immature cannabis plants for adults within Vermont effective July 2018. Unlike the earlier version, it would have also clarified penalties for individuals caught giving marijuana to minors or using weed behind the wheel, specifically addressing two of the governor’s top concerns.
Mr. Scott was slated to sign the bill had it passed the House, Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Sears, Bennington Democrat, said Wednesday. Instead the bill will likely be tabled until the Legislature returns for its normal session in January, the Free Press reported.
“I had never made a commitment to push the House and what they were going to do,” the governor said after Wednesday evening’s House vote, Vermont’s Seven Days reported. “I said it was up to them.”
Fifty-seven percent of Vermont voters approve and 39 percent oppose letting adults possess and grow limited amounts of marijuana, according to a survey conducted in March by Public Policy Polling.
All of New England has rolled back marijuana restrictions in one way or another by passing laws either legalizing the plant for medical use or decriminalizing possession. Vermont legalized medical marijuana in 2004 and passed another law in 2013 removing criminal penalties for low-level marijuana possession.
Eight states have legalized recreational marijuana and 29 states have legalized medical marijuana, notwithstanding the plant’s status as a Schedule 1 substance prohibited by federal law.
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