Vermont Governor Phil Scott Vetoes Marijuana Legalization

Originally published at blog.NORML.org

Governor Phil Scott (R) vetoed S. 22 to all eliminate penalties for the possession and cultivation of personal use amounts of marijuana by July 2018.

“It is disappointing that Gov. Scott would not only defy the will of his state legislators, but also the will of the majority of Vermont voters who support ending criminal penalties for those adults who consume cannabis responsibly,” NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said, “This change would have saved taxpayers money, allowed police, the courts, and community groups to re-prioritize their resources toward addressing more serious crimes and the opioid epidemic that is ravaging Vermont. Rather than looking to the future, Gov. Scott seems intent on repeating the failures of the past.”

Statewide polling reports that a majority of Vermont voters support legalizing and regulating marijuana. According to a RAND Corporation study, regulating the commercial sale of cannabis in Vermont would generate $20 million to $75 million annually in new tax revenue.

Governor Phil Scott expressed concerns in regards to the dispensing of marijuana to minors, driving under the influence, and marijuana laws within school zones and said he’d consider a new bill that addresses these issues if the state legislature were to send one to his desk during the upcoming veto session.