Vermont

Navigating Vermont State Laws:

Patients and Caregivers: Enrolling and Accessing Medical Cannabis

Medical Professionals: Procedures for recommending Medical Cannabis

Policymakers and Advocates: Actions Needed to Improve Laws for Patients

NOTICE: It can be challenging for patients to determine which businesses offering cannabis products are licensed and approved by the state. Review this list of medical cannabis retailers to find out where to purchase regulated cannabis in Vermont. 

Traveling? Get more information about traveling in the US here. 

Home cultivation is allowed in Vermont, for adult residents. A maximum of nine cannabis plants can be grown at once, with no more than two plants mature at any given time. 

Get involved locally!

Background on State Laws

Cannabis is legal to all adults over 21 in Vermont. Any adult may grow up to 2 mature plants and four immature plants. Vermont does not recognize out of state medical cannabis cards. Patients report that prices in Vermont remain high presenting a barrier to access. Details on how these laws apply to patients and medical professionals can be found below.

Cannabis Expungement: In 2020, S234 authorized the automatic expungement of low-level convictions (possession of 2 ounces or less) of cannabis before January 2021. This bill also decriminalizes certain marijuana offenses, such as the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis. For more information refer to the website of the Vermont General Assembly.

Here is a breakdown of how Vermont fared in ASA’s Annual State of the States Report, which evaluates the effectiveness of each state cannabis program from a patient perspective and assigns a grade using a rubric that reflects the key issues affecting patient access. Medical cannabis laws are constantly changing, ASA’s policy recommendations for Vermont can be found below. For policy updates Sign Up here or Take Action!

Patient Rights and Civil Protections	41/100
Arrest Protection 20/25 Affirmative Defense 16/20 Parental Rights Protections 0/20 DUI Protections 0/10 Employment Protections 0/20 Explicit Privacy Standards 5/5
Access to Medicine	45/100
Authorizes Retail Access 10/10 Alternative Accessibility Methods 20/20 - Authorizes Delivery 10/10 - Authorizes Curbside Pickup 10/10 Personal Cultivation 15/15 Collective Gardening 0/5 Sufficient Number of Licensed Retailers 0/30 Reciprocity 0/20
Program Functionality	67/100
Legal Protections Within Reasonable Time Frame 16/20 Reasonable Possession Limits 8/10 Reasonable Purchase Limits 8/10 Telemedicine for Physician Certifications 9/15 Patient and Physician Representation in Program Decision Making 10/20 Reasonable Caregiver Standards 1/5 - Background Checks 0/2 - Number of Caregivers 1/3 Reasonable Physician Standards 5/5 Access to Administration Methods 10/10 - Allows Dried Flower 5/5 - Allows Edibles, Concentrates, and Other Forms 5/5 Provides Access to Minors on School Grounds 0/5
Affordability	40/100
Sales Tax Break for Patients and Caregivers 20/20 Covered by State Insurance or Health Aid 0/20 Reasonable Registration Fees 20/20 Financial Hardship Waivers or Discounts 0/20 Donation Program 0/10 Allows Multi-Year Registrations 0/10
Health and Social Equity	43/100
State Program Protections 25/25 Housing Protections 0/25 Access for Minors 9/10 Access in Underserved Areas 0/10 List of Qualifying Conditions is Exhaustive or All Inclusive 9/10 Allows Patients to Medicate Where they Choose 0/10 Organ Transplants 0/5 Ownership or Employment Restrictions 0/5
Consumer Protection and Product Safety	95/200
Cultivation Operations 20/50 Quality Management Systems 0/10 Staff Training 10/10 Standard Operating Procedures 4/8 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 1/1 - Workplace Safety 1/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 1/1 - Waste Disposal 1/1 - Water Management 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Pesticide Usage Limitations 0/2 Environmental Impact Regulations 2/2 Required Testing 3/8 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Microbials 1/1 - Aflatoxins 0/1 - Pesticides 0/1 - Heavy Metals 0/1 - Foreign Matter 0/1 - Moisture Content/ Water Activity 1/1 Packaging and Labeling 1/3 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Pesticides 0/1 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting, and Recall Protocol 0/7 Manufacturing Operations 22/50 Quality Management Systems 0/10 Staff Training 10/10 Standard Operating Procedures 3/7 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 1/1 - Workplace Safety 1/1 - Storage 0/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 0/1 - Security 1/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Environmental Impact Regulations 2/3 Required Testing 5/10 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Microbials 1/1 - Aflatoxins 0/1 - Pesticides 1/1 - Heavy Metals 1/1 - Residual Solvents 1/1 - Homogeneity 0/1 - Foreign Matter 0/1 - Water Activity 0/1 Packaging and Labeling 2/5 - Cannabinoids 1/1 - Terpenes 0/1 - Ingredients 1/1 - Allergens 0/1 - Nutritional Content 0/1 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting and Recall Protocol 0/5 Dispensary Operations 36/50 Staff Training 20/20 Standard Operating Procedures 6/7 - Facility Sanitation 1/1 - Workplace Safety 1/1 - Storage 1/1 - Batch and Lot Tracking 1/1 - Security 1/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 1/1 Product Testing 10/10 - Product Meets Requirements Before Sale 5/5 - COA Disclosure 5/5 Complaints, Adverse Event Reporting and Recall Protocol 0/13 Laboratory Operations 17/50 Independent or Third-Party 0/5 Laboratory Sampling 0/5 Method Validation 4/4 Quality Management Systems 0/5 Staff Training 10/20 Standard Operating Procedures 3/7 - Facility and Equipment Sanitation 1/1 - Equipment and Instrument Calibration 0/1 - Workplace Safety 1/1 - Sample Tracking 0/1 - Security 1/1 - Waste Disposal 0/1 - Records Management 0/1 Result Reporting 0/4
Score Penalties	30/100
Gives Regulatory Preference to Adult Use 20/20 Classifies Cannabis as a Medicine of Last Resort 0/15 Administrative or Supply Problems 0/15 Requires Vertical Integration 0/10 Creates New Criminal Penalties for Patients 0/10 Limits Patients to a Single Retailer 10/10 No System for Adding Qualifying Conditions 0/10 Imposes Bans or Limits on THC 0/5 Imposes Bans or Limits on CBD 0/5
Excerpted from ASA's 2022 State of the States Report.