Vermont

At a glance

Medical Marijuana Program: Yes
Adult Use / Recreational MMJ: Yes
Pediatric : Yes
Home grow: Yes, no more than 9 marijuana plants, of which no more than 2 may be mature.
Possession limit: Two ounces of usable marijuana
Reciprocity: No
Legislation: Senate Bill 76. Senate Bill 645
Estimated # of registered patients: 4,438
Types of cannabis permitted for use: All

Legalization & Important Dates

• “Act Relating to Marijuana Use by Persons with Severe Illness” was passed into law unsigned, on May 26, 2004, by Vermont Governor James Douglas (R), after both Senate Bill 76 and House Bill 645 were approved
• Senate Bill 17, passed on June 02, 2011, established “An Act Relating To Registering Four Nonprofit Organizations To Dispense Marijuana For Symptom Relief”, which provided a framework for registering up to four nonprofit marijuana dispensaries, for the state of Vermont.
• “Act Relating to Marijuana Use by Persons with Severe Illness” was passed into law unsigned, on May 26, 2004, by Vermont Governor James Douglas (R), after both Senate Bill 76 and House Bill 645 were approved
• Senate Bill 17, passed on June 02, 2011, established “An Act Relating To Registering Four Nonprofit Organizations To Dispense Marijuana For Symptom Relief”, which provided a framework for registering up to four nonprofit marijuana dispensaries, for the state of Vermont.

Types of Licenses

• Dispensaries registered with the Department are non-profit entities that may acquire, possess, cultivate, manufacture, transfer, transport, supply, sell, or dispense marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana-related supplies to registered patients and their caregivers who have designated that dispensary.
• A sixth dispensary may be added if/when the program includes more than 7,000 patients. Dispensaries may lawfully engage in home delivery.

Associated Fees

Dispensary application fees: Application fee: $2,500.00

Dispensary registration fees: Initial registration fee: $20,000.00

Renewal registration fee: $25,000.00 submitted annually

Qualifying Conditions

• cancer;
• HIV/AIDS;
• multiple sclerosis;
• PTSD;
• Crohn’s disease;
• Parkinson’s disease; glaucoma or the treatment of these conditions if the disease or the treatment results in severe, persistent, and or more of the following intractable symptoms.
• A chronic, debilitating disease, medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following intractable symptoms:
• cachexia or wasting syndrome
• severe pain or chronic pain,
• severe nausea
• seizures including those characteristic of epilepsy

How to Become A Medical Marijuana Patient

1. Patients are required to obtain legitimate medical records or documentation from their primary care physician describing the diagnosis of their qualifying
2. Patients are required to obtain a signed Physician’s Statement from a physician, currently licensed to practice medicine in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts or New York
3. Patients must be a resident in the state of Vermont with proof of residency. If you do not have a Vermont I.D. an out of state I.D., passport, or other photo I.D. with proof of residency such as bank statement, utility bill, etc. is acceptable.
4. To qualify, a patient needs to be diagnosed by a physician as having one of the debilitating medical conditions that is specifically identified in the law:
a. Once certified, all patient MUST complete an application form to register with the Vermont Patient Registry — registration is mandatory to be ensured protection under, Vermont’s medical marijuana law.
5. The Vermont MMP does accept out of state registry cards, but only for the conditions approved by the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act.
6. The Vermont Marijuana Patient Registry fee is $50.
7. Patients are required to create a digital photograph of his / her in a .jpg format and copy the photo to a floppy disk or CD. Label the disk or CD with your name and date of birth and include it with your application.
8. Patients are required to send their notarized application form, digital photo, Physician’s Medical Verification Form, and $50 application fee

Card Holder Benefits

• Access to a Licensed Dispensary
• Permission to Store Adequate Marijuana Supply
• Freedom to Grow Marijuana

Caregivers

Yes, registered caregiver is a person who has agreed to undertake responsibility for managing the well-being of a registered patient with respect to the use of marijuana for symptom relief. The registered caregiver can never have been convicted of a drug-related crime. The caregiver must be 21 years of age or older. Patients may only have one registered caregiver at a time. Registered caregiver may serve only one registered patient at a time.