Governor Phil Scott on Wednesday announced action on a range of bills, including the Legislature’s bill to create a regulated cannabis market in Vermont, which will be allowed to go into law without his signature.
Gov. Phil Scott on Friday signed into law the $7.17 billion 2021 state budget, he said at his regularly scheduled press conference.
In light of the economic damage from the COVID-19 pandemic, some members of the New Hampshire Legislature have turned to consideration of the legalization of cannabis.
S.54’s many critics say black youths suffer adversely from substance abuse. Compared to whites they perform poorly in schools. Black unemployment is higher than the national average. Marijuana abuse is positively linked to all three of these adverse outcomes.
The Vermont Department of Health and the Agency of Education have enacted strict new rules for children waiting for and riding the bus to school. Officials also recommend parents give their kids a ride, or have them walk or bike to school.
Advocates for social justice and organic farming oppose S.54, the retail sales, taxation and regulation of marijuana. Barring major changes in the upcoming special session, it should be scrapped for the year, they say.
“Taxing by price may not be stable, taxing by weight could encourage use of high potency products, and taxing by potency could complicate tax collection and add significant costs to both tax collectors and industry,” Boesen said.
Vermonters asking the Legislature “buddy, can you spare a dime?” for basic education, housing, food and employment assistance may wonder at a Legislature willing to front almost $1 million to create a legal industry surrounded by so much controversy and so many question marks.
Whether you’re for or against legalizing and the recreational use and sale of pot, injecting the issue of race and sex into this will only intensify feelings of resentment of injustice.
The Vermont Legislature Joint Rules Committee decided late this afternoon to ask staffers to prepare a resolution for its review tomorrow to recess the Legislature and close the State House for a week due to the coronavirus.
Although recreational marijuana has been legal in Massachusetts since voters approved it in 2016, the pot industry has experienced some serious pushback against dispensaries at the local level.