Adult-use cannabis sales in Vermont launched over the weekend with three shops opening to the public. Mountain Girl Cannabis in Rutland, FLŌRA Cannabis in Middlebury, and Ceres in Burlington all started retail sales on Saturday, the first day sales were allowed.
Russ Todia, chief operating officer at Ceres told MyNBC5 on Friday that the rollout of adult-use sales in the state was a “real monumental for the state” and for his company.
In all, at least 70 Vermont municipalities have opted in to allow retail cannabis sales. Other adult-use license hopefuls throughout the state are expected to get licensed in the coming weeks and months.
The reforms were approved by state lawmakers in October 2020 after Gov. Phil Scott (R) allowed the legislation to become law without his signature. Cannabis had already been legal for medical and personal use in the state.
Earlier this year, Rhode Island lawmakers approved a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis sales, making New Hampshire the only New England state to not have approved adult-use cannabis reforms.
In an October 2021 report, the Vermont Cannabis Control Board estimates that spending on adult-use cannabis in the Green Mountain State could reach $225 million annually by 2025, equating to nearly $46 million in new state taxes. Vermont imposes a 14% excise tax on adult-use cannabis products sold to the public but does not impose a tax on the sale from cultivator to retail. Municipalities can also impose a 6% tax on sales that occur within their jurisdiction.
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