By Duke London

 

Vermont Governor Phil Scott had five days to make a decision on the House- and Senate-approved S.22 measure that would’ve seen the Green Mountain State become the first to legalize cannabis through legislative channels rather than voter initiatives.

Today was Scott’s deadline, and the Republican Governor made the decision to veto S.22. Gov. Scott offered some semblance of hope for future legalization efforts in Vermont by saying, “We must get this right. I think we need to move a little bit slower.”

Governor Scott had three options when it came to S.22, and two of them meant Vermont would become the ninth state in the country to legalize marijuana for recreational use by adults. Had he signed the bill or simply refrained from making a decision, the law would have hit the books. Scott chose the third route, killing the momentum legalization that advocates and lawmakers alike had built in preparation for this pivotal moment.

The Governor offered his notes on S.22 when he returned his decision, explaining that a “special session” could be scheduled this summer to hash out the proposed changes he’d like to see before implementing full legalization.

Gov. Scott has been on the record as having deep public safety concerns about ending cannabis prohibition in Vermont, including children’s access and drivers operating their vehicles under the influence.

Vermont would have joined fellow New England states Maine and Massachusetts in legalization land, but now must head back to the drawing board to better prepare for the next attempt.