Voters Will Be Heard on Recreational Cannabis Sales in Burlington

The question of whether or not Burlington should rescind an eight-year-old ban on recreational marijuana sales will be on April's local election ballot as a non-binding referendum question after a 3-2 vote by the Select Board on Monday.

Recreational cannabis sales were banned in 2017 following a 2016 statewide vote allowing the activity state-wide. The state's provisions allowed for municipalities that voted against recreational sales to ban it locally, and Burlington's legislative body, Town Meeting, did that. But, say proponents, there have now been several years for the state to iron out wrinkles in regulation and for Burlington to observe how other cities and towns deal with the practicalities of having legalized recreational marijuana sales. (Medical sales are legal state-wide, though no dispensaries are located in Burlington right now.)

The question of overturning the ban and adding zoning for recreational sales has been making its way through town Boards and Committees for a year or more, and many throughout the process have said that the public should be polled again since popular vote resulted in the ban's institution in the first place. The Select Board agreed overall, though the decision was split. Many, however, including a number of Town Meeting Members during last night's debate, said it's Town Meeting's job to represent their constituents and they should take a stand.

In the end, Town Meeting Members did take a stand —more than once, in fact. After proponent Will Seagaard made his presentation and the advisory votes were read out, a motion was made to postpone the article until after the town-wide vote in April. That motion was narrowly defeated, as was the first motion to halt debate and force a vote.

During debate, Town Meeting Members shared their stories—positive, negative, and neutral—relating to marijuana and people they've known (including themselves!) who have used it. Cannabis Use Disorder was mentioned, as well as the efficacy of the drug for treating symptoms of some illnesses. Many spoke about their experiences visiting dispensaries and assured the body that they're not like people might be picturing.

Other Town Meeting Members said they were inclined to vote no on rescinding the ban this time around, simply because they wanted to see the public's sentiment in April.

The question was moved again after more than an hour of debate, and this time the voting occurred. The vote, which needed a simple majority to pass, was too close to call by a show of hands, and when a standing count was separated by just one vote (46-44 in favor), members requested a roll call. In the end, the article failed by a vote of 44-46, though it was evident in debate that Members had a multitude of reasons for voting no and some were concerns of timeline rather than an opinion on the rescission of the ban itself.

Burlington's town election is on April 5, 2025, and the non-binding referendum question will be one of two local questions on the ballot. The other is whether to convert the Town Clerk role, which is currently elected, into an appointed position.