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Vermont – allowed marijuana usage and limitations

Medical marijuana usage in Vermont has been legal for a long time, and as of July 2018, recreational usage will be completely legal as well, effectively making it one of the friendliest places for those who like to light the green. In fact, Vermont has become the first state to legalize marijuana through legislature.

As great as all of this sounds, you can’t go around pretending like you’re smoking regular tobacco; that’s not how it works as there are certain limitations you must adhere to. When recreational marijuana becomes legal, you won’t be allowed to possess more than an ounce of it at any given time. Of course, you’re also going to need to be at least 21 years old to avoid getting in trouble with the authorities.

Being of legal age also applies to those who want to cultivate their own plant. Even in this area, there are certain limitations that are to be respected at all times. In concrete terms, you’re not allowed to have more than 2 mature and 4 immature cannabis plants. Even though marijuana cultivation may be legal, that still doesn’t mean you’re allowed to sell it. Moreover, the plants must be properly secured and placed away from the public eye. Also, if you’re renting a place, you need permission from your landlord prior to growing the plant.

There’s another thing to keep in mind: all marijuana produced or acquired in Vermont must also be consumed locally, since you’re not allowed to take any across the border. The reason being is that marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, and having just a small amount of it in your car could get you into some serious legal trouble if they decide to inspect your vehicle when trying to cross the border.

While legalization is mostly great news for marijuana lovers, there’s another catch: you can legally smoke it on your private property, but the same cannot be said for smoking it in public, which is still pretty much a no go. Also, you are not allowed to consume it in the presence of a child, and strict penalties have been put in place to enforce this. Regardless of this, some believe the marijuana legislation in Vermont does not protect children from improperly stored marijuana sufficiently enough.

As for the penalties, getting caught possessing more than one ounce of marijuana in Vermont will result in a $500 fine and up to six months of imprisonment. The same penalty applies to exceeding the allowed cultivation limit. Please bear in mind this is true for first-time offenders only; for second-time offenders, the penalties go up to two years in prison-time and $2,000 in fines. With each subsequent offense, the penalties go up accordingly. If you get caught giving marijuana to a minor, you can be imprisoned for up to two years and required to pay a fine of $2,000.

Driving under the influence of marijuana remains illegal in Vermont. If an officer suspects you of being intoxicated, you can be administered a blood test which you’re not allowed to refuse without consequences. If the test comes back positive, you may be imprisoned for a maximum of two years and required to pay anywhere up to $750 (as a first-time offender).