Legalize and Commercialize Marijuana ending the last vestiges of prohibition,
removing the profits from the criminal marketplace, while assuring that products allowed create no heightened danger to our citizens and allowing Law Enforcement to concentrating on eliminating "hard drugs" and their criminal purveyors.
Source: 2018 Vermont Senate campaign website BrookePaige.us
Aug 14, 2018
Phil Scott:
Make low-level marijuana possession legal for adults
Gov. Phil Scott officially signed a bill into law that makes marijuana legal for adults in Vermont. H. 511 eliminates Vermont's civil penalty for possessing one ounce or less of marijuana and removes penalties for possession of up to two mature
marijuana plants and up to four immature plants for people 21 and older."After more than 15 years of hard work by MPP and our allies in the state, adults in Vermont no longer need to fear being fined or criminalized for low-level marijuana possession
and cultivation," said the New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. Vermont is the ninth state to make marijuana legal for adults and the first to do so through its legislature. Eight other states have
enacted laws legalizing and regulating marijuana for adult use, all through ballot initiatives."
Legislative outcome: Passed House 81-63-5 on Jan. 4; signed by Governor on Jan. 22.
Source: MPP.org on Vermont legislative voting record H.511
Jan 22, 2018
Keith Stern:
Send drug addicts to treatment & dealers to boot camp
Stern said he would handle the opioid crisis by cracking down on offenders and expanding treatment.˙ "We have to spend more money on treatment centers," he said. "My plan is for drug dealers to go to prison boot camp.
These people don't have respect for others. They don't have discipline, no sense of responsibility. People need to learn that to become useful citizens."
Source: Mountain Times on 2018 Vermont Gubernatorial race
Aug 31, 2017
Phil Scott:
Address opiate addiction via prevention & enforcement
Q: What would you do to address the growing problem of substance abuse?Scott: I have a 10-point plan to address opiate addiction through prevention, treatment, and enforcement. We need to expand community commitment by replicating the success of
programs such as Rutland Project VISION. I'd establish a Director of Drug Abuse Prevention and an Opiate Coordination Council comprised of municipal, health and law enforcement officials to eliminate red tape and ensure integration of state government
opiate policies. I'd emphasize long-term treatment rather than short-term detox, invest in expanded treatment options and new licensed counselors. We can also give law enforcement more flexibility to refer people to treatment rather than prison.
I'd also require digital prescriptions in order to reduce prescription fraud. I'd fight to update federal drug disposal rules and expand Medication-Assisted Treatment programs so doctors can treat more addicts.
Source: LWV's Vote411.org on 2016 Vermont Gubernatorial Race
Sep 19, 2016
Scott Milne:
Does not support the legalization of marijuana
Milne, who incidentally, does not support the legalization of marijuana, says his stance on some issues will put him at odds with national Republicans. He told students that he thinks
Congress should expand background checks for firearms, for example, and consider banning certain weapons. He also says he wants to improve upon the Affordable Care Act, not repeal it, as many Republicans have called for.
Source: Vermont Public Radio on 2016 Vermont Senate race
Sep 12, 2016
Bruce Lisman:
No legalization now; let's see what happens in other states
Q: Would you eliminate penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults? Will you support creating a reasonable system for regulating and taxing marijuana production and sales in Vermont?Bruce Lisman did not respond to MPP's survey
asking about marijuana legalization. "I say, 'No, not now,' Lisman said on VT Public Radio. "It's not clear to me that we understand well enough what's happening in the other states that have legalized it or the process by which they've gone through."
Source: MPP.org Voter Guide on 2016 Vermont Governor primary race
Sep 9, 2016
Matt Dunne:
Legalize marijuana quickly; prohibition hasn't worked
Q: Would you eliminate penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults? Will you support creating a reasonable system for regulating and taxing marijuana production and sales in Vermont?
Will you support allowing adults to grow a limited amount of marijuana for their own personal use?Former State Sen. Matt Dunne (D-Hartland) responded yes to all three MPP survey questions. "I actually believe that we need to move forward with the
legalization of marijuana, because I don't know anyone who thinks that prohibition has actually worked," Dunne said on Vermont Public Radio in June. "In fact,
I think we need to move relatively quickly, so that we're not having to react to other states that, as I understand it, are planning on putting this issue on a referendum."
Source: MPP.org Voter Guide on 2016 Vermont Governor primary race
Sep 9, 2016
Phil Scott:
No legalization at this time; but I'm not saying never
Q: Would you eliminate penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana? Will you support creating a reasonable system for regulating and taxing marijuana production and sales? Will you support allowing adults to grow a limited amount of marijuana
for personal use?Lieutenant Gov. Phil Scott (R-Berlin) did not respond to MPP's survey asking about marijuana legalization. "I'm not saying never," Scott said on Vermont Public Radio in June. "I'm saying it's the timing's not right. It's not now."
Source: MPP.org Voter Guide on 2016 Vermont Governor primary race
Sep 9, 2016
Scott Milne:
Pass tougher drug laws instead of decriminalizing
Q: Are you in favor of decriminalizing drug use?
Scott Milne: No, we should pass tougher drug laws
Source: iSideWith.com Voter Guide on 2016 Vermont Senate race
Sep 9, 2016
Sue Minter:
Supports legalizing marijuana
Q: Would you eliminate penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults? Will you support creating a reasonable system for regulating and taxing marijuana production and sales in Vermont? Will you support allowing adults to grow a
limited amount of marijuana for their own personal use?Former State Rep. Sue Minter did not respond to MPP's survey asking about marijuana legalization. "I do support the legalization of marijuana," Minter said on Vermont Public Radio in June.
Source: MPP.org Voter Guide on 2016 Vermont Governor primary race
Sep 9, 2016
Sue Minter:
Addicts need treatment, not jail time
Vermont faces an opioid epidemic that is impacting our communities & our state's economic future. The rate of opioid-exposed infants has doubled since 2009. I will invest in programs to prevent & treat opioid addiction & improve drug & alcohol prevention
& rehabilitation. We must change prescribing habits, provide early intervention for families with high risk factors for substance abuse, and ensure that schools provide effective drug abuse prevention programs. Addicts need treatment, not jail time.
Source: 2016 Vermont gubernatorial campaign website SueMinter.com
May 25, 2016
Bruce Lisman:
Decriminalization, but not legalization, of recreational pot
I am against the legalization and commercialization of recreational marijuana.
There is an important distinction between decriminalization, which I support, and legalization.
Source: 2016 gubernatorial campaign website, LismanForVermont.com
Mar 6, 2016
Matt Dunne:
Create a trusted Vermont brand of legalized marijuana
We need to craft our own policies before other surrounding states legalize marijuana so we can do it the Vermont way. To keep Vermonters safe, we must insist on clear, stringent labeling of marijuana products and organic/GMO certification.
And if we do this right and act quickly, we have the opportunity to set the standard for legalization across the country and allow Vermont farmers and entrepreneurs to benefit from establishing a trusted Vermont brand.
A strong Marijuana policy will achieve the following:- Undercut the criminal market.
- Better control youth access.
- Create a system of tested and labeled products.
- Generate revenue that can be used for prevention, treatment and education.
-
Reduce an adversarial relationship between law enforcement and marijuana users.
- Better to put a controlled system in place now than have to respond after voter referenda result in reform in other states like Maine and Massachusetts.
Source: 2016 Vermont gubernatorial campaign website MattDunne.com
Mar 3, 2016
Peter Shumlin:
Time to make marijuana well-regulated legal substance
The War on Drugs has failed, and there is no greater example than our nation's marijuana laws. Vermont took steps to institute a well-regulated medical marijuana system that now serves 2,400 Vermonters. But the black market of drug dealers selling
marijuana for recreational use is alive and well, that's why I will work with you to craft the right bill that eliminates the era of prohibition that is currently failing us. I will insist on 5 things before I'll sign a bill:- A legal market must
keep marijuana and other drugs out of the hands of underage kids.
- The tax imposed must be low enough to wipe out the black market and get rid of the illegal drug dealers.
- Revenue from legalization must be used to expand addiction prevention
programs.
- We must strengthen law enforcement's capacity to respond to impaired drivers under the influence of Marijuana
- Take a hard lesson learned from other states and ban the sale of edibles until other states figure out how to do it right.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Vermont legislature
Jan 7, 2016
Peter Shumlin:
Prioritize reducing opioid misuse
Let's put an end to the system where doctors, dentists, and health care providers send patients home with 80 or 90 Oxycontin pills in their pocket. I am proposing a new system, where a maximum of 10 pills will be the limit for minor procedures.
Second, we are partnering with pharmacies to expand drug take back programs. Third, we are partnering with neighboring states to upgrade the Prescription Monitoring System to prevent addicts from crossing state borders to go pill shopping.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Vermont legislature
Jan 7, 2016
Peter Shumlin:
Address drug addiction as a public health crisis
Vermont is confronted by a crisis of the rising tide of drug addiction and drug-related crime. In every corner of our state, heroin and opiate drug addiction threatens us.We often hear in the news about the criminal side of drug addiction, about the
robberies or the busts in our communities. Our police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges do an extraordinary job under tough circumstances. But as those who are in the thick of this struggle have concluded, we must bolster our current approach
to addiction with more common sense. We must address it as a public health crisis, providing treatment and support, rather than simply doling out punishment, claiming victory, and moving onto our next conviction.
Addiction is, at its core, a
chronic disease. We must do for this disease what we do for cancer, diabetes, heart, and other chronic illness: first, aim for prevention, and then eradicate any disease that develops with aggressive treatment.
Source: 2014 Vermont State of the State speech
Jan 8, 2014
Phil Scott:
Supports growing industrial hemp in Vermont
Over the previous three years [in the state legislature] I voted to support the sale of un-pasteurized milk and allow industrial hemp to be grown in Vermont. I voted to
find better ways to prepare students for careers in Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (AF&H) and determine how to better prepare the next generation of Vermonters to become involved in these sectors.
Source: NE Organic Farming Assoc. on 2016 Vermont gubernatorial race
Nov 1, 2012
Peter Shumlin:
War on recidivism: $300,000 for methadone treatment
Many non-violent offenders have drug & alcohol related addictions. When their time is up, lack of adequate housing, adult basic education, drug & alcohol counseling, mental health services & job options leave them with the same lack of skills & substance
abuse challenges that led them into prison in the first place.My Administration will re-allocate an additional $300,000 to unlock the waiting lists for methadone treatment. This represents the first steps in my administration's war on recidivism.
Source: 2011 Vermont State of the State Address
Jan 25, 2011
Page last updated: Oct 14, 2021