Vermont cannabis growers still waiting on permits

Vermont’s recreational cannabis industry is set to officially open in October this year. However it may be difficult to supply retail stores when growers can’t produce any product.

The Cannabis Control Board said Monday that it will not meet the state mandated deadline of May 1, 2022 to begin issuing licenses to small-scale cultivators.

As of April 25, there have been 83 applications submitted for cultivation licenses. Only two are currently under review.

The two applicants currently being reviewed are among 25 “social equity applicants” who were given priority in the application process.

"We've gotten a lot of messages saying, 'Hey, my plants need to be in the ground ASAP,' and we completely understand," Kyle Harris, one of the three board members, said at a meeting on Monday. "That is not lost on us." Harris said some frustrated applicants have called into the office and directed vulgar language at staff, which he called unacceptable.

"I know folks are under a lot of stress and anxiety, have a lot riding on these licenses; we totally get that," he said. "But there's just no room to be rude... I just want to make sure everybody understands that they're working as hard as they possibly can."

James Pepper, board chair, said that the legislature approved a bill allowing the board to hire more staff. This should speed up the review process. The board also plans to open the application window for larger scale operations to help build a stronger relationship with the community.

Additionally, the FBI has rejected a request by the state to conduct background checks on applicants. Meaning the state will have to hire third party companies to do the background checks, adding an additional cost of $475 each.

"This process is not ideal, it's less efficient, and there's an additional cost to the licensee, but it’s kind of the default position we’re in right now," Pepper said.

Ivan Pudan is co-owner of Snowbird Botanicals in Barnet. He asked the board about the additional costs during the public comment period of its meeting.

"I'm a social equity applicant with my wife, and $1,000 for background checks kind of defeats the purpose of applying for a social-equity type of assistance, doesn't it?" he inquired.