“People in my area are having difficulty getting cannabis,” Sen. Dick Sears (D-Bennington), chair of the Joint Legislative Justice Oversight Committee, said Monday at the first of its six meetings focused on marijuana. “I’m looking to expand the availability of medical marijuana.”
The committee was tasked with continuing to research legalization of marijuana after lawmakers came to a stalemate on the issue earlier this year.
But Sears said the committee’s September 23 meeting will focus on how the state can expand access to medical marijuana. State law limits the number of medical marijuana dispensaries to four. Patients are required to register with the state and provide a doctor’s verification that they have been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition.
About 2,700 Vermonters are on the state medical marijuana registry, making them eligible to buy products from one of the state-licensed dispensaries in Burlington, Montpelier, Brandon and Brattleboro.
Sears said that he wants to hear from patients about why they are having difficulty accessing medical marijuana. Eli Harrington, a marijuana legalization activist from Winooski, argued that dispensary prices are too high because of a lack of competition.
Shayne Lynn, director of the dispensaries in Burlington and Brattleboro, said in an interview that restrictions on the program make it tough for dispensaries to do business. The facilities pay a $25,000 annual fee, aren’t allowed to advertise and are required to operate as nonprofits.
“We need more patients,” he said. Projections that his dispensaries would reach 3,000 patients this year have fallen short, and the number remains at about 1,700, he said.
This year, the state expanded the list of qualifying medical conditions to include chronic pain. But Lynn said his dispensaries have not seen
“How are we going to get the word out to Vermonters that chronic pain is now allowed?” Lynn said. “We can’t advertise.”
Geography makes access to the dispensaries difficult in areas such as Bennington and the Northeast Kingdom, he said. Home delivery, which started this year, should help, he said, but that service has gotten off to a slow start because of safety concerns. Lynn suggested the state could allow limited-hour satellite dispensaries.
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I am encouraged to hear that Senator Sears is working to address this crisis in care for patients in Vermont. I would like to contribute to the discussion.
Eli Harrington is correct. The cost for cannabis flower and the RSO oils used for cancer patients at the dispensaries in Burlington, Brattleboro, and Montpelier have been expensive. To be fair, The dispensary in Brandon has kept the cost down. (We should note that CVD has a for profit company called Ceres PM. I believe that Vermont Patient Alliance has set up a similar company to supply it as well.) That being said,the license fees that are being charged to the dispensaries are excessive and they cannot advertise. The medical program needs to be opened up to all use as determined by the patient and the medical professional. Insurance should pay for this therapy. There are medical patients who are organic growers and should be allowed to obtain licenses. This is a system that is working in Maine. There they have over 3000 caregivers helping patients with clean medicine. I am a medical patient. I grow clean medicine for my self. I test it. I would be happy to answer any questions that the legislators have. The need for more diverse sources of medical cannabis is great and individuals are suffering needlessly now.
I too, am encouraged to hear that Senator Sears recognizes that the Medical Cannabis Program in Vermont has issues that need to be addressed. As a Vermont Medical Cannabis Patient, I am very frustrated that although I paid for and have a medical card, I am unable to utilize medical cannabis to lead a positive,pain free, quality of life due to the cost to myself of medical cannabis. I would like to help in any way I can to advance this program so Medical Cannabis patients in Vermont can utilize their medication and lead their lives in a positive and quality manner.
It really is sad when patients can’t get relief from these dispensaries. I am a medical patient myself and can’t even afford the brattleboro dispensary at 50 a 8th 400 a oz its more than a troublesome to pay for your symtom relief. Medical patients would benefit more off a cannabis workshop that taught them how to organically grow themselves. I hope that I can help the industry in some aspect being a cannabis connoisseur for 10 Years. I have a spiritual & scientific connection with this miracle plant. If anyone has questions about anything feel free to contact me.
Oh yeah when I was in Maine this summer the huge flashing sign in Rumford that said “Cannabis Cures Cancer” was totally awesome and a medically responsible way to inform the public about this drug. Let’s do that here.
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Drug companies advertise direct to consumer. Many older individuals will tell me that they did not know we have a medical Cannabis program. Vermont Patient Alliance has an e-mail that they send out. It lists current pricing of all the offerings. CVD does not. Here is a sample.
This Weeks Selection
DRIED FLOWER SELECTION* Afghani Skunk Sativa 9 – 13% THC0 – 2.5% CBD $21
Snowdawg Hybrid 8 – 12% THC0.5 – 1% CBD $21
Chemdawg X TNT Indica 10 – 14% THC 0.50-2.5%CBD $21
Deep Cheese Hybrid11 -15% THC 0.5 – 1.5%CBD $22.75
White Widow x Blueberry Indica 10 – 14% THC0 – 2% CBD $22.75
White Fire Hybrid 11 – 15% THC0.5 – 2.5% CBD $22.75
Sour Diesel Sativa 12 – 16% THC 0 – 1% CBD $22.75 AK – 47 Sativa 11 – 15% THC0 – 1% CBD
$24.50
Dark Star Indica 3 – 17% THC0.5 – 3% CBD $26.25 Peach Haze Hybrid 13 – 17% THC 0.5 – 1% CBD $26.25
Jack Skellington Sativa 13 – 17% THC 0.5 – 1% CBD $28
Mubuco x TNT High CBD Hybrid 12 – 16% CBD 4 – 8% THC $28
*Pricing reflects 1/16 oz. quantity.
We will now be using ranges to reflect the potency, the ranges are +/- 2.5% of the measurement. This accounts for the variability in the batches, instrument and sampling strategy used, the ranges displayed are a more accurate representation. Ranges will be continually updated with each batch testing.
To fix the medical program we need: more dispensaries; ending the requirement of registering with one and only one dispensary; and de-linking dispensary registration and permission to grow (for both patient and dispensary). These things would bring prices down for patients, and make it easier to obtain the cannabis they need, but not as much as full legalization would. Even including taxes, cannabis in legal states is far cheaper than the no-tax prices at Vermont’s dispensaries, with better availability, broader selection, and a greater variety of modalities to suit the needs of each individual, without the need to go through a (usually ignorant about cannabis) doctor as a gatekeeper to the system.
As a MM patient I began going to the dispensary. The expense was more than I could afford. I then became a cultivator. That also was costly to get the room set up for proper cultivation. As we know once you choose to cultivate you can’t buy MM at the dispensaries. You can only purchase clones. Clones do not provide medicine immediately. It takes months. In the meantime where is the medicine? People that struggle to provide MM for themselves are not always successful at it. I happen to be Celiac and I can’t use the grain alcohol to make tinctures. But what I need is not available to me. So that is one aspect of MM laws lacking the “special needs allowances”. Another problem is what the dispensaries actually have to offer to patients or lack there of. Patients should be able to form groups to share strains and different products that each grower excels in. A Care Club so to speak. That would also create some badly needed jobs The choice of clones for me to grow are the same two strains from the beginning of this year. The lack of variety is staggering. Especially when you see everything that is available to patients elsewhere. Medicine should be available to anyone that needs it. And the proper choice of medicine at that. So maybe more cottage industry jobs for Vermonters instead of more dispensaries are what we need. Let the people decide!!! So I implore anyone following the path to legalization to please OPEN YOUR MOUTH!!!! CALL YOUR REPS!!! TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE LACK OF PROGRESS!!!!!!!
As a resident of Vermont for 29 years, i am disappointed by the fact that Vermont did not legalize cannabis In 03 I had a TIA. This caused my brain to shift into depression with occasional “happy” periods. It also accelerated my intolerance to grey days known as Seasonal Affect Disorder. I have been through every pharmaceutical wonder drug there is for depression/anxiety. My body rejected all of it. In March, I suffered spinal stenosis from having arthritic parts of my spine flare up and shoot pain down my leg. I was prescribed a non opiate muscle relaxant which made my mind dopey and didnothing for the pain in my leg and back. I am very disillusioned with the way Vermont has handled the medical cannabis issue, and, well, cannabis in general. I wrote to Dick Sears during the last house session. I asked to expand medicinal criteria as well as legalize for “recreation.” I received no response. I am moving out of my home now, and I am going to Maine or Colorado. I am nearly 60 and do not feel at all comfortable meeting a dealer in a parking lot(for example) to obtain cannabis. Also, I have no idea what I am getting anyway. I have done so much for Vermont and Vermonters while I have lived here. Can’t this state realize trustworthy people like me need cannabis to function? Meanwhile, the lottery(legalized gambling) is OK and rakes in all kinds of money for the state. I am not waiting anymore for legalization in VT to happen. Winter is coming and I am not going to sit here depressed and in pain any longer. Goodbye VT and hello to Maine or Colorado.
I was unable to afford medication from the dispensary, registering to grow at home left me without legal access to cannabis for the months it took for the plants to mature. The current laws work only for those w financial privilege. I was fired from the dispensary when I refused to sign a no compete clause. I couldn’t reason signing an agreement that perpetuates restriction of access to safe medicine. If the system in place is not sustainable, it is a monopoly to benefit the few, I refuse cooperation w the systems that are not working. Working a a clinic setting I met frequently w patients unable to afford medicine, unsure of safe access, feeling as though they were without a trusted place to go for answers.