By Benjie Cooper
IG: @nuglifenews
YouTube: Lucid’s Vlog
Vermont became the first state to enact recreational marijuana legalization through the legislature when they passed Act 86 in January. But while the law, which went into effect July 1, legalizes personal cultivation and possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, it does not permit commercial sales.
As soon as the law was implemented at the beginning of the month, entrepreneurs with an eye for legal loopholes began selling a variety of overpriced merchandise and collecting high delivery fees while offering free cannabis with their products and services.
But as businesses and individuals attempted to skirt the text of the new law, their activities did not go unnoticed by the powers that be.
In an advisory released Monday, Vermont Attorney General’s Office clarified Act 86 and announced that the commercial gifting of marijuana products is not allowed under the law.
“Act 86 does not legalize the sale of marijuana,” states the advisory. “Any transfer of marijuana for money, barter, or other legal consideration remains illegal. This includes a commercial transaction with a purported “gift” of marijuana.”
According to the advisory, selling items like bracelets or t-shirts or charging for delivery with the promise of a cannabis gift are considered marijuana sales and are not legal.
The notice also states that the consumption of cannabis in public places or motor vehicles is also illegal. It concludes by saying that the Vermont Attorney General’s Office will continue to search for practical solutions with stakeholders as the state’s marijuana laws evolve.
