The bill S.284, introduced by Senator Vyhovsky, seeks to reform Vermont's legal framework regarding the possession and dispensing of regulated drugs. It establishes the Drug Use Health and Safety Advisory Board, composed of experts in health care, substance use treatment, and drug policy, tasked with determining benchmark personal use supplies for each regulated drug to reduce the criminalization of personal drug possession and use. The bill proposes significant changes to penalties for low-level drug possession violations, reducing maximum imprisonment to six months and fines to $500, while reclassifying low-level felony drug possession as misdemeanors. It also eliminates the crime of dispensing regulated drugs, except in cases where an individual over 21 dispenses to someone under 21, which would be classified as a five-year felony.

Additionally, S.284 amends various sections of Vermont's drug laws, including the possession, sale, and trafficking of controlled substances. It reduces penalties for possession of heroin and methamphetamine, increases thresholds for harsher penalties, and introduces an electronic registry system for monitoring the sale of products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The bill clarifies definitions related to drug offenses and establishes stricter regulations for selling drugs to individuals under 21 and near school property. Overall, the legislation aims to create a health-oriented approach to drug use and possession, focusing on harm reduction rather than punitive measures, with an effective date set for July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 18-4230, 18-4230f, 18-4231, 18-4232, 18-4233, 18-4233a, 18-4233b, 18-4234, 18-4234a, 18-4234b, 18-4235, 18-4235a, 18-4237