Montpelier, VT: Members of the Vermont Senate have introduced legislation seeking to decriminalize the possession and sale of small amounts of cannabis.
As introduced, Senate Bill 238 would replace existing criminal sanctions outlawing the possession, cultivation, and sale of minor quantities of pot with civil sanctions, punishable by a fine only.
Specifically, the bill would impose a civil penalty of no more than $250 upon first offenders found guilty of possessing up to two ounces of marijuana or growing up to two marijuana plants. Offenders found guilty of possessing between two and four ounces of marijuana and/or cultivating up to five marijuana plants would face civil fines of $1,000. Defendants found guilty of possessing or cultivating amounts above this threshold would face up to three years imprisonment.
Under current state law, the possession or cultivation of any amount of cannabis is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to six months in jail.
Senate Bill 238 also seeks to reduce violations involving the transfer of small amounts of cannabis from a felony offense to a civil violation.
The bill is currently before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Members of the Burlington City Council are also debating a separate marijuana decriminalization resolution.
Currently, twelve states have enacted similar versions of marijuana decriminalization – replacing criminal sanctions with the imposition of fine-only penalties for minor pot violators.
For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, or NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup at (202) 483-5500. Additional information on SB 238 is available from NORML’s “Take Action” Center at: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=10811606&type=ST.