[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”3px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”|auto||4px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/medicalmarijuanainc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/KimNunleyProfile_WB_150x150.png” title_text=”KimNunleyProfile_WB_150x150″ _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” width=”25.5%” custom_padding=”|5px||||” border_radii=”on|100px|100px|100px|100px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”2px|||-226px||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
By:\u00a0<\/span>Kim Nunley<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.10.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n After Vermont lawmakers approved legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, Gov. Phil Scott signed the bill into law January 22nd.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Vermont\u2019s legislature last week became the first in the United States to pass a bill legalizing recreational marijuana. The legislation, H.511, legalizes the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and the cultivation of up to two mature marijuana plants and four immature plants for adults at least 21 years of age.<\/span><\/p>\n The bill was approved the state House of Representatives earlier this month with a vote of 81 to 63 before being getting the final okay through a voice vote from the state Senate last Wednesday. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Phil Scott, with what he described as \u201cmixed emotions<\/a>,\u201d on Monday, January 22nd. It will take effect July 1.<\/span><\/p>\n The bill does not set up a system to tax and regulate the production and sale of marijuana, although that may come later. A commission created last year has been tasked with studying how to tax and regulate marijuana.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is a great step forward for the state and the whole region,\u201d\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>Matt Simon, New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, in a press release. \u201cResponsible adults will soon have the freedom to enjoy a safer option legally, and law enforcement will be free to concentrate on serious crimes with actual victims. We are looking forward to working with lawmakers and state leaders to continue improving marijuana laws in the Green Mountain State.\u201d<\/p>\n The move by Vermont lawmakers comes only days after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>reversed the Obama-era federal policy<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that directed prosecutors and law enforcement to not prioritize interference with states that legalized marijuana.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cVermont in particular doesn\u2019t care very much what the attorney general thinks,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>said<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Matt Simon, New England political director for Marijuana Policy Project. \u201cWith the way this bill is written, having a few plants, there\u2019s nothing that the feds could do even if they wanted to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Vermont lawmakers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>almost legalized adult use marijuana last year<\/span><\/a>. The bill passed both legislative chambers, but was<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vetoed by Gov. Scott<\/span><\/a>\u00a0who was concerned the proposal didn\u2019t do enough to protect use by children. He<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>laid out the revisions<\/span><\/a>\u00a0he wanted lawmakers to make for him to consider signing and lawmakers quickly rewrote the bill, making the requested adjustments.<\/span><\/p>\n Fifty-four percent of Vermont voters<\/span><\/a>\u00a0support recreational marijuana legalization. In a statement, Matthew Schweich, the interim executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said states are tired of \u201coutdated and harmful\u201d federal policies regarding marijuana.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Vermont Legislature\u2019s action underscores that states will continue leading the way toward more humane, sensible marijuana policies even if this administration reverts to the cruel and counterproductive federal policies of the past,\u201d Schweich<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>said<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n With the proposal enacted,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Vermont<\/span><\/a>\u00a0is the ninth U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana, and the very first state in the nation to legalize it through the legislative process rather than a ballot initiative. Vermont, which legalized<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>medical marijuana<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in 2014, is one of 23 states in the nation that doesn\u2019t allow ballot initiatives.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe political courage of Vermont\u2019s lawmakers to break with nearly a century of legislative stagnation should be interpreted as a siren call in the halls of the state legislatures nationwide as well as the U.S. Capitol,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>said<\/span><\/a>\u00a0NORML Political Director Justin Strekal.<\/span><\/p>\n Voters in\u00a0<\/span>eight U.S. states and Washington D.C.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0so far have opted to legalize adult use marijuana, including nearby Maine and neighboring Massachusetts. Only Washington D.C. doesn\u2019t have a regulated market. New Hampshire\u2019s House of Representatives last week\u00a0passed a similar no-sales recreational marijuana bill<\/a>, although the state\u2019s governor has said he opposes legalization.<\/span><\/p>\n Market analysts have projected that the U.S. cannabis industry will have a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>$70 billion economic impact by 2021<\/span><\/a>. Read about<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>marijuana industry trends to watch in 2018<\/span><\/a>, and keep up with the growing cannabis industry through our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>news feed<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n This article has been updated since initial publication to reflect that the bill was signed into law.<\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/medicalmarijuanainc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/jeff_sessions_by_gage_skidmore_31-1024×427-1.jpg” title_text=”jeff_sessions_by_gage_skidmore_31-1024×427″ _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.10.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Medical Marijuana, Inc. and the federally legal hemp cannabidiol (CBD<\/a>) market are unaffected by the policy change announcement by Sessions.<\/p>\n CBD hemp oil is excluded from the federal Controlled Substances Act. Customers, shareholders, and the public can be reassured that\u00a0<\/span>hemp-based CBD products<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>are unaffected by recreational laws or current political stances.<\/p>\n Learn more about marijuana laws in the U.S. through our\u00a0<\/span>education page<\/a>, and keep up with developments in the legal cannabis industry by visiting our\u00a0<\/span>news feed<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" January 4, 2018 By:\u00a0Kim Nunley After Vermont lawmakers approved legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, Gov. Phil Scott signed the bill into law January 22nd. Vermont\u2019s legislature last week became the first in the United States to pass a bill legalizing recreational marijuana. The legislation, H.511, legalizes the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":69,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-68","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nFirst State to Legalize Marijuana By Act of Lawmakers<\/b><\/h2>\n
Keep up with Growing Cannabis Industry<\/b><\/h2>\n
What Could the Memo Mean for Medical Marijuana, Inc.?<\/h2>\n
Keep up with the Cannabis Industry<\/h2>\n