Pubdate: Wed, 04 May 2016
Source: Boston Globe (MA)
Copyright: 2016 Associated Press
Contact: http://services.bostonglobe.com/news/opeds/letter.aspx?id=6340
Website: http://bostonglobe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52
Author: Dave Gram, Associated Press

VT. HOUSE KILLS MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont House on Tuesday gave those hoping 
to make the state the first to legalize marijuana by legislation 
rather than referendum a major setback.

The chamber's antimarijuana actions included:

Rejecting Senate-passed language to legalize possession of up to an 
ounce of marijuana. The vote was 121 to 28.

Voting down, by a 97 to 51 vote, a measure to put the question to a 
nonbinding statewide referendum.

Unlike 26 states, Vermont has no form of direct petition in which 
voters get to decide a question other than constitutional amendments. 
The four states and District of Columbia that have legalized 
marijuana have done so by referendum.

Defeating "compromise" language promoted by leaders of the majority 
Democrats that stopped short of legalization but expanded 
decriminalization, which punishes violators with fines rather than 
criminal penalties.

The measure would have made it a crime to possess more than two 
ounces of marijuana rather than one and more than two plants. 
Seventy-seven members voted against it, 70 voted in favor.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom