Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
BURLINGTON – At live music shows, it is common to see rivulets of smoke drifting above the crowd as audience members sway, dance freely and nod their heads to the beat.
Before reggae artist Collie Buddz took the stage at Higher Ground in South Burlington on Feb. 1, Jaylen Craig stood outside in the cold with a joint between his index and middle finger. When asked about cannabis and the concert experience, his answer was simple: “It makes me very happy,” he said.
A new bill being considered by Vermont lawmakers could make it so Craig wouldn’t have to finish his joint before seeing his favorite musician, at least at some venues.
S.278 would create a pilot program for licensed cannabis establishments to apply for permits to host events where cannabis products could be sampled.
The provision is just one part of the lengthy bill that would also allow people to purchase more weed at shops, among other provisions. The Senate passed the bill late last week.
Under the bill, the Cannabis Control Board would be able to issue 20 event permits per year — 10 apiece for private and ticketed public events — for $500 each. To be eligible for a permit, cannabis businesses would need a security plan and written approval from the local governing body. Permits would not be issued for events at venues that also sell alcohol, the proposal says.
Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden Southeast, the bill’s sponsor, said she introduced the legislation as a harm reduction strategy.
“The problem is, you make something legal, we have to give people a safe way to access it also,” Ram Hinsdale said.
The changes would be welcome to recreational dispensaries such as Cambridge Cannabis Company in Jeffersonville. Megan Magnanelli, one of the managers, said that the bill could open the door to a wider range of events, from educational programs to celebrational gatherings. She also said cannabis companies could host events to educate people who may have negative perceptions of cannabis.
“I think it would be a good way to maybe potentially change their minds or at least give them the information to ponder it,” Magnanelli said.
For small businesses like Emerald Visions in Alburgh, the proposed bill is seen as a threat.
Owners Ashley Bowen and Nick Smith, who opened the cannabis cultivator in 2022, said that while they support certain provisions in the bill, they believe the broader legislation was rushed.
They’re particularly concerned about cannabis-related event permits, such as large festivals where consumers could purchase products. Smith said he worries that large, vertically integrated retailers would dominate events by trading “shelf space” among themselves.
“You’ll have the token small grower that they’ll throw in there just to make themselves feel good,” Smith said.
The couple also worries that events that welcome all cultivators would be dominated by well-funded companies that could send representatives to table at events across the state. Smaller businesses, by contrast, may only be able to afford to attend one or two before determining the return on investment isn’t sustainable, Smith said.
Bowen argued that this could undermine the original vision of Vermont’s cannabis market as a small “mom and pop” industry. Smith echoed that sentiment, noting that Vermont lacks many large cities or major events capable of generating significant sales for vendors.
“I’ve been all over the state, and there’s not many big towns, big events, big situations, that can draw on a lot of people, where an event can be that meaningful transactions,” Smith said.
To address these concerns, Bowen and Smith would like to see additional support for smaller businesses built into the legislation, such as different retail license types. Ideas they support include creating onsite consumption licenses, consumption lounge-style licenses and even farm stand-type licenses.
They argue that expanding these categories would help preserve opportunities for small operators and prevent large, well-capitalized companies from dominating the marketplace.
“I would rather wait to see it done right than have it happen quickly and have it mess up the industry,” Bowen said.
Sen. Ram Hinsdale said she’s heard these worries from several experts, including those in the alcoholic beverage industry and even in the housing sector.
“Everything has the potential to become conglomerated or to involve big out of state business,” she said. “We should always be listening to our local retailers and growers about what external market pressures they’re facing, but that’s always a balance.”
Others have concerns about the message the legislation would send. Mariah Flynn, coalition director for addiction prevention organization Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community, has worked in the public health field for about 25 years. Although events held under special permits would be restricted to people 21 and older, Flynn remains concerned about how promoting casual use of cannabis could affect Vermont’s youth.
“The more that kids see adults normalizing use and using as a part of celebration, the more it changes their attitudes around use, and they tend to use at younger ages,” Flynn said.
While she acknowledges that certain issues may require legislative action, Flynn believes there are more effective approaches and wants to see more guardrails in the bill. She advocated for provisions that would emphasize public education, particularly around the misconception that cannabis is not addictive.
“There’s nothing in here that is helpful for public health, or that addresses public health concerns,” she said.