Vermont Senate votes to end marijuana prohibition!
Last update: April 18, 2016

On February 25, 2016, following weeks of testimony and careful deliberation, the Vermont Senate made history when it voted 17-12 to pass S. 241 and send it to the House of Representatives. This bill would end Vermont’s prohibition of marijuana for adults 21 and older, creating a regulated and taxed system for marijuana production and sale.

The bill has been amended significantly in two House committees. Since there were not quite six votes on the 11-member Judiciary Committee in support of marijuana regulation, our allies on the committee did the best they could, passing an amended version of S. 241 in a 6-5 vote that would lay some groundwork for future legalization and call for further study. The following week, the Ways and Means Committee restored core provisions that would legalize personal possession. Currently, the House version would allow cultivation of two marijuana plants with purchase of a $125 annual permit from the Department of Health. No policy decision at this point should be considered final, because if the House passes any version of S. 241, it will end up in a conference committee, where three senators and three representatives will attempt to work out a compromise.

If you live in Vermont, please ask your representatives to vote in favor of sensible marijuana regulation. Please also click here to get involved with the Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana’s historic effort to organize statewide support for ending prohibition.

Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, §2
(30) "Home-fermented beverages": malt or vinous beverages produced at home and not for sale.
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 7, §65

(a) A person of legal age may, without obtaining a license under this title or paying state taxes or fees, produce malt or vinous beverages, or both, at home provided that the amount of home-fermented beverages produced by that person does not exceed the quantities limitation in 26 U.S.C. §§5053 and 5042.

26 U.S.C. §§5053 and 5042.

http://us-code.vlex.com/vid/sec-exemptions-19210894

(e) Beer for personal or family use

Subject to regulation prescribed by the Secretary, any adult may, without payment of tax, produce beer for personal or family use and not for sale. The aggregate amount of beer exempt from tax under this subsection with respect to any household shall not exceed—

(1) 200 gallons per calendar year if there are 2 or more adults in such household, or
(2) 100 gallons per calendar year if there is only 1 adult in such household.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/5042

(2) Wine for personal or family use Subject to regulations prescribed by the Secretary—

(A) Exemption
Any adult may, without payment of tax, produce wine for personal or family use and not for sale.

(B) LimitationThe aggregate amount of wine exempt from tax under this paragraph with respect to any household shall not exceed—
(i)
200 gallons per calendar year if there are 2 or more adults in such household, or
(ii)
100 gallons per calendar year if there is only 1 adult in such household.