Michael Sirotkin – Vermont Senate, Chittenden

What, in your mind, is the ideal structure for a functional legal Tax and Regulate system? How would you work with other branches of government to create this kind of system?
I voted for, and continue to support, the Senate’s version of Tax and Regulate; and believe it was carefully crafted by Senator Sears and others. We do need to figure out the home grow issue and learn from other state’s experiences.

How would you assess Vermont’s current medical marijuana program? How will you ensure that registered medical patients and caregivers have access to an abundance of high-quality cannabis products priced at or below market rates?
I’ve had personal experience with VT’s program and, in my opinion, it works very well. Our current MM providers are high quality and the state should listen to their suggestions on how as to sustain/improve upon our existing program.
How will you ensure that people who’ve been disproportionately affected by prohibition (such as convicts and People Of Color) will have an equal opportunity to participate in Vermont’s legal cannabis industry? In particular, how will you work for statewide expungement of convictions for possession?
Many states attorneys are already doing this. I would likely be inclined to take this policy statewide.
How will you make sure that all Vermonters have equal access to joining the legal cannabis industry as small and startup businesses?
The size of growing parcels and retail stores should not be so limited as to be prohibitively expensive for smaller operations. We need to learn from other states, however, as to the best sustainable roll -out sizes; and ensure that we have sufficient resources to properly oversee operations of all sizes.
Do you think state can sustain both a medical and a recreational program – or would you combine cannabis regulations into one system?
Eventually they could be combined but medical should not be taxed and medical privacy needs to be maintained. I would also look to other states’ experiences.
If tax-and-regulate is passed, how would you prefer to allocate cannabis revenues? To the general fund or to specific causes? If specific, please share any proposals.
A certain percentage should be allocated to our serious and expensive opioid problem, as well as treating/preventing other addictions. Another significant percentage should clearly go to youth education, and deterring under age use.
Would you allow Vermont towns to enact temporary moratoriums or outright bans on legal cannabis businesses?
Other states allow for this, and to the best of my knowledge it does not present a huge problem to a tax and regulate program. Vermont is a small state – both geographically and by population – so I don’t think allowing towns to opt out will matter much either way. If it helps with passage I wouldn’t oppose.