vermont-marijuana

2VR has been working on Vermont cannabis regulation for more than a year, in conversation with a wide variety of Vermont stake holding groups.

Summarizing one year of work, here are our TOP TEN reasons why cannabis regulation is a MUST for Vermont. Feel free to share widely.

  1. Cannabis Prohibition has Been A Failure: The “War On Drugs” has done nothing to stop the widespread use of cannabis among adults and kids. It’s time for a saner approach in Vermont – legalize, regulate, and control the production of cannabis.
  2. Cannabis Regulation Means Economic Growth: Instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year buying illegal marijuana from the black market, Vermonters will spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year buying cannabis from state-regulated and taxed cannabis businesses.
  3. Cannabis Regulation Means a Safer Vermont For Our Kids: In poll after poll, young Vermonters tell us that cannabis is easier to access than alcohol or tobacco (both legal and regulated drugs).  Regulating cannabis will not only make it harder to obtain for Vermont youth, it means that products will be tested for potency, chemicals, and contaminants.
  4. Cannabis Regulation Means a Healthier Vermont: Cannabis legalization will provide more natural, organic and plant-based options for Vermonters suffering from chronic pain, glaucoma, stress, PTSD, and other medical conditions treatable with cannabis.
  5. Cannabis Regulation Means a More Honest Vermont: Cannabis legalization means we can dispense with the hypocritical “wink wink, nudge nudge’iness” surrounding illegal marijuana use, from doctors’ offices to school health classrooms to weekend parties, and instead have frank, honest and open public conversations about cannabis use and abuse.
  6. Cannabis Regulation Means New Vermont Jobs: As many as 4,000 new Vermont jobs, according to the RAND Report commissioned by the Vermont State government.
  7. Cannabis Regulation Means New Vermont Agricultural Opportunities: Cannabis (and Hemp!) cultivation will ensure a more diverse working landscape and more crop options for hard-working Vermont farmers.
  8. Cannabis Regulation May Mean Decreased Opiate Use Among Vermonters: A 2014 Journal of the American Medial Association Internal Medicine Study found that states with more expansive medical marijuana laws experienced 25% fewer fatal opioid overdoses than states without such laws. Evidence indicates that cannabis, rather than serving as a “gateway” drug, may assist opiate addicts in overcoming their opiate addiction.
  9. Cannabis Regulation Means More Net Vermont Tax Revenue: Tax money that will be used to fund drug prevention, education, and treatment programs for Vermonters, with a focus on opiate addiction, plus cover all administrative costs.
  10. Cannabis Regulation is Supported by a Majority of Vermonters: Polls reveals that a majority of Vermonters across the state support cannabis legalization and regulation. It is time to thoughtfully legislate cannabis regulation on behalf of the citizens of Vermont. Now is the time.

For further reading, please consult the following reports:

1. RAND Report on Vermont Marijuana Legalization. by the RAND research group.

2. “What Cannabis Can Do For Vermont.” by the Vermont Cannabis Collaborative (VTCC).

3. “Health Impact Assessment on Cannabis Legalization.” by the Vermont Department of Health.

March 28, 2016

Cannabis Regulation for Vermont: TEN Good Reasons

2VR has been working on Vermont cannabis regulation for more than a year, in conversation with a wide variety of Vermont stake holding groups. Summarizing one […]
March 24, 2016

Greening Vermont, Building a More Resilient Future

Here in Vermont, as everywhere, the built environment has a vast impact on the natural environment, human health, and the economy. 40% of our energy consumption […]
March 21, 2016

Vermont Town Meeting: Why It Matters More Than Ever

Alert viewers of WCAX may have noticed a March 4 segment calling attention to my completion of 50 years’ service as Kirby town moderator. Please allow […]
March 19, 2016

Are Vermonters Suffering From Our “Normalcy Bias”?

A friend of mine says a lot of Vermonters are about to get a rude awakening over the next couple of weeks as the traditional sugaring […]
March 18, 2016

Tree Base’ing: Vermont’s Logging Industry – Past, Present and Future

Publisher’s Note: As 21st century fossil fuel energy resources dwindle in the Age of Peak Oil, Vermont will become more reliant once again on its forests, […]
March 17, 2016

Vermont-based Rebellion Gains Traction During 2016 Presidential Campaigns (WCAX NEWS)

BURLINGTON, Vt. – Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders began his current campaign calling for a revolution, one he argues will lead to sweeping political change within the United […]
March 16, 2016

Plan V: Vermont Continuity of Government (COG) Bill

Publisher’s Note: From social media sites to the Vermont Statehouse, Vermonters are preparing for Plan V. Good to see far-sighted legislators exploring COG plans for the […]
March 8, 2016

Beyond Prohibition: Why Consider Cannabis Regulation for Vermont?

As the House considers a bill that would end the prohibition of cannabis for adults, I am keeping an open mind. Prohibition has been ineffective and […]
March 4, 2016

#FeelTheBern: Bernie Sanders and the Politics of the (Im)Possible

Ten years ago, Bernie Sanders convinced all eagle-eyed Vermonters watching events within the U.S. imperial Beltway in Washington, D.C. that Vermont independence was an inevitability. The […]
December 22, 2015

Vermont, Cannabis, and “Exceptionalism,” by Eli Harrington (OP/ED)

  Publisher’s note: Read the Vermont Cannabis Collaborative (VTCC)’s entire “What Cannabis Can Do For Vermont” report – legalize, regulate, tax, derive benefits – online at their web […]
July 23, 2015

The United States of Secession

by Dani Hutton Thanks to the good folks at Ozy and journalist Dani Hutton for this look at independence movements across the UNtied States of Empire. […]
July 22, 2015

The Local Economy Solution, by John McClaughry

Fifteen years ago, Wal-Mart and Home Depot rolled into the Rutland-sized town of Midland, Ontario. A 20-year-old man who had built the website for his parents’ […]