Lobbying Initiatives

Despite the success of the Medical Marijuana Program to date, there are needed improvements as we move forward. When this law was passed 16 years ago, it was new and needed to be restrictive. Now, in 2020, more Vermonters are recognizing the value of using medical marijuana instead of pharmaceuticals; access should be expanded, not limited. VCTA supports the continuation of the Medical Marijuana Program and therefore supports S.117.

VCTA is currently advocating for the following initiatives in the state legislature. Our recent lobbying successes include:

  • Remove the 3-month treating or consulting relationship between a patient and a health care provider and allow the provider to determine what disease, condition, or treatment would benefit from medical cannabis;
  • Remove the requirement that a patient must designate a dispensary;
  • Increase the possession limit to 3 mature plants and the purchase of 3 ounces per month;
  • Allow for reciprocity; patients do not have to be Vermont residents; and
  • Patients with incurable diseases only need to send in registration forms once; they only pay $50 annually.