A Vermont proposal that would expand the state’s medical marijuana law, including doubling the number of plants a patient can grow, has been passed in its initial House committee.
House Bill 270
was filed by State Representatives Matt Birong and Mike McCarthy. It recently received approval by the House Ways and Means Committee. It has now been assigned to the House Appropriations Committee, the last step before it can be heard by the full House of Representatives.
The bill would increase the THC cap on packaged marijuana products from 50 mg to 100 mg, and would alter the number of plants a patient can grow for personal use from a total of nine to instead be six mature plants and 12 immature plants.
In addition, the measure would:
- Eliminate the requirement that a patient diagnosed with PTSD be engaged with psychotherapy or counseling with a licensed mental health care provider to become a medical marijuana patient.
- Eliminate the requirement that caregivers be fingerprinted and have a criminal history record check
- Allow a caregiver to serve two patients.
- Eliminate the Registry annual renewal fee for patients who have a qualifying condition other than chronic pain.
- Allow licensed cannabis establishment to do business with any other licensed cannabis establishment.
House Bill 270’s full text can be found by clicking here.
In Vermont both medical and recreational marijuana is legal, with recreational sales beginning in October for those 21 and older. The state first legalized medical in 2004.
