Control Board Approves First Vermont Cannabis Retail Licenses

MONTPELIER – In a surprise twist, the Vermont Cannabis Control Board approved its first batch of retail establishment licenses during today’s meeting, two and a half weeks ahead of schedule:

– Mountain Girl Cannabis (Rutland)
– FLŌRA Cannabis (Middlebury)

The Board also approved an integrated license for medical operator CeresMED, formerly Champlain Valley Dispensary. Under the rules and regulations, integrated licenses may engage in the activities allowed under all current adult-use licenses, including retail sales. This means that CeresMED may start selling adult use product anytime. However, their license location is in Burlington, whose opt-in measure does not allow retail cannabis businesses to before October.

Chair James Pepper of the Vermont Cannabis Control Board acknowledged the ongoing polarization around integrated licenses at the start of the meeting. “I know the very idea of these integrated licenses has been polarizing since the passage of Act 164,” he said, but said that the Board is to follow law as written, and must move forward if applications are complete.

“Today’s license approvals mark a historic moment for Vermont that is decades in the making,” said Pepper of the first retail license approvals, in a press release shared with Heady Vermont this morning. “We would not be here without the tireless dedication of cannabis advocates, the legislature, our agency partners, and most importantly the CCB staff.”

In the meeting, however, Pepper also recognized the challenges of getting the market launched. “As any outdoor cultivator probably knows all too well, the legislature probably did not consult the Farmer’s Almanac when it created the timelines and Act 164,” he said wryly. He cautioned patience with the market roll out, which is unlikely to “magically coincide” with an October 1 deadline.

In addition to retail and integrated, nine cultivators of various tiers were licensed today:

• Pinehill Organics, Mixed Cultivator Tier 1
• OGW cannabis, Indoor Cultivator Tier 1
• Pinnacle Valley Organic Inc., Indoor Cultivator Tier 3
• Fern’s Flowers, Indoor Cultivator Tier 1
• Birdseye Botanicals, Outdoor Cultivator Tier 2
• District 802, Indoor Cultivator Tier 1
• YBNRML LLC, Mixed Cultivator Tier 2
• Turkey Hollow Cannabis, Indoor Cultivator Tier 1
• Trichome Ranch, Mixed Cultivator Tier 1

Looking for other details from the meeting, like inventory tracking and packaging? Find them here in Part II of today’s Licensing Update.

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