than it does in California. According to Associated Press, the new law that recently went into effect did not include provisions for how to tax and regulate marijuana production. As our marijuana attorneys can explain, this means while residents can possess and consume cannabis, they cannot open up a business to sell recreational products.

Broken down into more precise terms, this is what adult-use legalization means for those in Vermont. Residents are allowed to have four immature cannabis plants and two mature plants in their homes, so while it’s true there are no stores to purchase from, marijuana can be grown at home. Plants must be in enclosures that are secure and obscured from public view. Renters, however, must have permission from their landlords before they are allowed to begin a grow. Those 21 years and older are allowed to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, but it cannot be consumed in public spaces.Aside from home grows and all their limitations, the only other options Vermont residents have is to procure marijuana by illicit means. This is not unlike the way medical marijuana started in Vermont. Medical marijuana was legalized in the state in 2004 with the passage of Senate Bill 76. This law offered protections to qualifying patients and their caregivers who possessed or cultivated marijuana. The move was more about making sure that people who needed cannabis for health reasons were not treated like criminals, rather than giving them a concrete way to access and distribute cannabis products. As anyone in the medical marijuana industry knows, this is problematic because it limits the ways patients can consume marijuana and is a really imprecise way to attain proper strains and dosages to treat specific symptoms. It wasn’t until 2011 that the infrastructure really began to take shape when Senate Bill 17 allowed four state-licensed nonprofit organizations to dispense medical marijuana.

Vermont is also unusual in that it is the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through legislation rather than a ballot measure. In 2015, legislators attempted to push bills through that would establish a regulated system for recreational cannabis sales, but could not get any traction. A few attempts to legalize possession hit walls in 2017. Finally in early 2018, a possession, use, and cultivation bill passed. Once again, the intention of the state is clear: officials know people are already using marijuana recreationally, and so long as they follow guidelines, there’s no reason they should not be allowed to carry on.

Our Los Angeles recreational marijuana lawyers hope this new law paves the way for a more official adult-use marketplace to be established in Vermont in the near future. Most states have already come to realize the medical benefits of cannabis. The more states recognize cannabis as a benign recreational alternative to already socially acceptable products like alcohol and cigarettes, the quicker we can move forward together as a country. Right now marijuana businesses in California are still stifled by federal laws. The sooner we all unite on this issue, the more opportunities we will have to expand cannabis business ventures nationwide.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

Vermont Medical Marijuana Laws & Regulations, Americans for Safe Access

More Blog Entries:

Vermont Governor Signs Recreational Marijuana into Law, Feb. 1, 2018, Marijuana Law Blog

commercial sales. While the Adult Use of Marijuana Act made recreational sales legal in the state Jan. 1, it is still up to city and county governments to decide for themselves whether they will issue a ban or set up their own guidelines and regulations. Implementation of guidelines takes time, and some cities, Los Angeles included, were not able to get them in place before the rollout at the beginning of the year.

Los Angeles City Council approved commercial marijuana sales early in December, and by mid-January about two dozen businesses in the city had been granted temporary permits. Three of those businesses had state approval secured and were able to open for business that week, according to an NBC News report. More regulations will have to be met down the road to achieve legal status permanently, the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation told NBC.While this was happy news for the city, the delay was frustrating to some dispensaries, who wanted to follow proper legal channels but felt they were being punished while hundreds of unlicensed operations profited from recreational sales. Not only are these businesses operating without regulation, but they also are not paying taxes, those who have followed procedure complained. Officials in L.A. said they intend to tackle black market sales and shut down unlicensed operations.

That is why it is so crucial for serious owners to speak to our Los Angeles recreational cannabis business lawyers. Our experienced California marijuana attorneys are on top of all the latest laws and regulations to keep your business in compliance with local and state laws. While cutting corners might be tempting in the short term, such a decision can have devastating effects, potentially costing you your business, your hard earned revenue, and leading to possible legal ramifications. If you’re looking to start a business for the first time, we can walk you through all the necessary steps to establish your company and guide you through the licensing process with ease.

Recreational cannabis has been a longtime coming in the state of California, which was the first to usher in medical marijuana more than 20 years ago under the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The state lagged behind a few others who have been reaping the benefits of adult use laws, with Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, D.C., opening the recreational floodgates.

Illegal adult use has been prevalent in Los Angeles for some time, with residents taking advantage of black market availability. Others tried to stay above board by obtaining a medical marijuana card, though it is a not-very-well-kept secret among Californians that a recommendation for a card is easy to get from the right doctor, with little proof necessary of an ailment. Leaders in Los Angeles hope that through recreational marijuana legalization, they can weed out illegal distribution channels and smooth out the system for residents to have safe and easy access to cannabis. It also will clear the way for the city to collect tax revenue previously lost to an illegal economy that has been thriving under their radar.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

Los Angeles Marijuana Dispensaries Begin First Legal Recreational Sales, Jan. 20, 2018, By James Rainey, NBC News

More Blog Posts:

L.A. Slated to Become the Largest U.S. City With Legalized Recreational Marijuana, Dec. 7, 2017, Los Angeles Cannabis Lawyers Blog