Vermont becomes the first state to legalize recreational cannabis through its legislature
Signed on January 22, 2018, Vermont's H.511 (Act 86) made history as the first time a state legislature—rather than a ballot measure—legalized adult cannabis possession and home cultivation.
On January 22, 2018, Republican Governor Phil Scott signed H.511 (Act 86) into law, making Vermont the ninth state to legalize adult-use cannabis—and the first state in U.S. history to do so through an act of its state legislature rather than a citizen ballot initiative.
How H.511 passed and what it legalized
Because Vermont’s constitution does not allow citizen-initiated ballot measures, legalization could only happen in the State House. H.511 passed the Vermont House by an 81–63 vote on January 4, 2018 and cleared the Senate 20–9 on January 10. Taking effect on July 1, 2018, the law legalized:
- Personal possession: Up to 1 ounce of cannabis flower (or 5 grams of hashish) for adults aged 21 and older.
- Home cultivation: Up to 2 mature flowering plants and 4 immature plants per household, grown in an enclosed, screened space secure from unauthorized access.
Adding regulated retail stores in 2020 (Act 164)
While the 2018 law legalized personal possession and home growing, it did not initially establish licensed retail stores. On October 7, 2020, Vermont enacted S.54 (Act 164) to create the Vermont Cannabis Control Board and a taxed, regulated commercial market, with licensed adult-use retail dispensaries opening across Vermont on October 1, 2022.
Originally reported by Vermont General Assembly
Sources (2)
- Vermont General Assembly, H.511 (Act 86 of 2018), passed House 81–63 on Jan 4, 2018, passed Senate 20–9 on Jan 10, 2018, signed by Governor Phil Scott on January 22, 2018; effective July 1, 2018. https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2018/H.511
- Vermont Act 164 (S.54 of 2020), establishing regulated commercial cannabis sales, became law on October 7, 2020.
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