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Lawmakers and advocates press for public consumption rules and restoration of social‑equity funding
Summary
Committee members, advocates and growers said public consumption rules and social equity funding are unfinished priorities. Witnesses urged statutory language allowing consumption where tobacco is allowed and warned that the market’s current structure and enforcement patterns could disproportionately harm marginalized communities.
Several witnesses and committee members told the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee that public consumption rules and social equity funding need fuller legislative action next year.
Graham, policy director of Rural Vermont, and other advocates said existing enforcement patterns in other states show disproportionate policing of consumption and that Vermont’s current approach risks repeating those harms. Graham said the coalition’s recommended language borrows from New York to allow public consumption where tobacco is allowed and to place certain responsibilities on landlords rather than tenants.
Rogers and others said the public consumption question should go to Judiciary and Health and Human Services, and that teeing up a proposal for next year would be appropriate. “I think teeing this up for next year as a proposal, looking at what all the states currently do because we have lots of data in other states, would be really helpful,” a committee member said.
Advocates also warned that cuts to the cannabis business development fund would remove small, predictable payments that some license holders relied on. Jeff Groupesitullo said the fund’s beneficiary payments — previously used by some license holders as annual assistance — were being cut and that the change could be ‘‘make or break’’ for smaller operators.
Witnesses urged further work on eligibility for medical cards for veterans, equitable access to licenses, and clearer economic‑empowerment supports for women and marginalized growers who said they are not seeing priority processing or tangible financial help under current programs.
Committee members did not adopt consumption language at the hearing and asked to coordinate with Judiciary and Health and Human Services on questions of penalties, housing, and public health; they directed staff to return with comparative models and with input from the Cannabis Control Board and affected stakeholders.
