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[J]uly 1 marks the first date that Vermonters will be allowed to possess and grow marijuana under state law. According to Tim Fair, a Burlington attorney specializing in cannabis-related cases, the legal implications of that move extend far beyond what’s specified in statute.
“Every cannabis case so far in the history of the United States has been taken with the concept of cannabis as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and illegal contraband,” Fair says. “Now, with legalization, that turns all of those decisions on their heads.”
Fair says he chose to specialize in cannabis cases because of the opportunity to set new precedent. Vermont’s new marijuana law could provide plenty of opportunities to do so.
Vermont State Police last week raised as many questions as they answered in a session aimed at clarifying how officers will operate under new guidelines.
It’s unclear whether prosecutors will target businesses dispensing free marijuana as “gifts” with other purchases. Police can’t say how they’ll measure quantities of marijuana in edibles and extracts. Large gatherings on private property have triggered questions about consumption in “public accommodations.”
Plus, the drug remains illegal under federal law.
On this week’s podcast, Tim Fair describes how he’s advising cannabis clients on navigating these gray areas — and what could come next for marijuana law in Vermont.
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