Legislators in Vermont have introduced legislation that would put an end to criminal penalties on small amounts of illegal drugs. The bill, which was introduced last week, states that the dispensation and possession of small drug amounts would be subject to a referral to a substance-use health and screening service or a fine of up to $50 dollars. The legislation, dubbed H. 422, is sponsored by Reps. Logan Nicoll, Selene Colburn, and 12 other legislators. Supporters state that the measure offers a public health approach to overdose deaths and drug use disorders. In an email to a news outlet, Nicoll stated that the state had led in various ways with the approach to substance misuse prevention and substance use disorder treatment. However, Nicoll continued, too many residents of the state were lost annually to substances, adding that instead of treating drug abusers as patients, the state still treated them as criminals Last month, another legislation H.309, whose focus is to eliminate criminal penalties imposed on fungi and plant-based substances such as DMT, ibogaine, mescaline, and psilocybin, was introduced by Rep. Brian Cina. The measure was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, which has yet to schedule a hearing.
CannabisNewsWire, 03/18/2021 16:20:00