Marijuana Policy Project

Vermont House of Representatives Races

MPP sent electronic surveys to all candidates for Vermont House of Representatives, asking candidates if they “agree” or “disagree” with the following three statements (“undecided/need more information” was also given as an option):

(1) I support Vermont’s medical marijuana laws. Patients with multiple sclerosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other serious illnesses whose doctors recommend marijuana should be able to use and purchase marijuana without fear of criminal sanction.

(2) The current 1,000-patient cap on the number of patients who can frequent dispensaries should be eliminated so that patients who are diagnosed later are not left behind.

(3) Arresting and prosecuting non-violent individuals simply for the possession of small amounts of marijuana clogs our court system, misplaces valuable law enforcement resources, and wastes taxpayer dollars. Criminal penalties should be replaced by civil fines for adults and should be replaced with drug education and community service for minors.

The following are candidates who advanced to the general election and who either responded to our survey (in support or opposition) or previously showed their support for marijuana policy reforms, as indicated:

(Note: Vermont Senate responses and information about attorney general candidates are available here.)

Addison-3 (elects 2):

• Arabella Holzapfel (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “I volunteer for Addison County Court Diversion and find it ludicrous that so much court time, State's Attorney's time, Court Diversion staff time, and volunteer time is spent dealing with people whose only misbehavior is possession of marijuana. I wholeheartedly support decriminalization.”

Bennington-Rutland (elects 1):

• Rep. Patti Komline (R) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #3 and “undecided/need more information” on question #2 (about removing the 1,000-patient cap on patients who could frequent dispensaries).

Caledonia-1 (elects 1):

• Claudette Sortino (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “I agree that clogging up our court and corrections systems with minor marijuana offenses is needlessly expensive to Vermont taxpayers. Your suggestions as to how these cases should be handled makes a lot more sense. If elected, I would support changes in current policy. Your positions are very reasonable and deserve support in the legislature.”

Caledonia-2 (elects 1):

• Kristina Michelsen (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “I strongly support reforming marijuana laws.”

Caledonia-4 (elects 2):

• Celeste Girell (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “Medical and recreational users of marijuana do not belong in the correctional system. As a retired Vermont Correctional Facility Superintendent, I strongly believe criminalizing recreational users of marijuana is counter-productive.”

Chittenden-1 (elects 1):

• Rep. Anne O’Brien (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #3 and “undecided/need more information” on question #2 (about removing the cap on patients who could frequent dispensaries).

Chittenden-2 (elects 2):

• Rep. Jim McCullough (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: "The time is right."

Chittenden-4-2 (elects 1):

• Rep. Bill Lippert (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #2. On question #3, he commented: "I will be reviewing this issue in the House Judiciary Committee in January. As Chair, I prefer to withhold judgment until I have a chance to hear all of the testimony."
  

Chittenden-5-2 (elects 1):

• Rep. Joan Lenes (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #3 and “undecided/need more information” on question #2 (about removing the cap on patients who could frequent dispensaries).

Chittenden-6-1 (elects 2):

• Joanna Cole (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Chittenden-6-2 (elects 1):

• Jean O’Sullivan (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “I think legalizing marijuana is an issue about criminal justice. As long as we continue our prohibition policies we are sanctioning criminal behavior in our state just like liquor prohibition gave rise to the likes of Al Capone. We should legalize, tax and distribute it just like alcohol. We use lottery money for education, use the taxes on pot for schools and we won't have the funding wars we currently see on town meeting days.”

Chittenden-6-3 (elects 2):

• Kit Andrews (P) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

• Gene Bergman (P) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #3, adding this comment on question #2: “This cap makes no sense to me; however, I need to learn the intent behind it and study the issue before I can give an unqualified ‘agree’ answer.”

Chittenden-6-4 (elects 2):

• Rep. Christopher Pearson (P) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “In the 2011-12 session, I was a lead sponsor on the decriminalization bill. I will do so again if I am re-elected, and we have a commitment from the speaker and judiciary committee chair to at least take hearings on it.”

• Kesha Ram (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Chittenden-6-5 (elects 2):

• Rep. Suzy Wizowaty (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “Strongly support decriminalization.”

Chittenden-7-4 (elects 1):

• Maida Townsend (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Chittenden-8-2 (elects 2):

• Paul Dame (R) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment: “I have yet to hear a good reason as to why marijuana should be treated any differently than alcohol. I've never used either, and never plan to, but I think in general people ought to have authority over what they put into their own bodies. The proper role for government may be to educate or warn unknowing users. But prohibition didn't work for alcohol and I don't think it's working for marijuana either. I believe much of the illegal activity that accompanies marijuana use (theft, burglary, homicide, etc.) is related more to the fact it is an illegal activity, not to the substance itself. Same was true for alcohol under prohibition; once the activity was legalized and regulated, ALL of the violence surrounding the distribution end of it went away.”

• Rep. Tim Jerman (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #3 and “undecided/need more information” on question #2 (about removing the cap on patients who could frequent dispensaries).

• Rep. Linda Waite-Simpson (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions. Comment on question #2: “The number should be adjustable by the DoH based on diagnosed patients. Some patients will come off the registry as they recover so I would want some oversight with regard to the number.” Comment on question #3: “Completely agree! I do think we need to make sure that we have a sound policy in place. I don't want to see teens engaging in this or alcohol -- their brains are still developing!”

Lamoille-Washington (elects 1):

• Rep. Peter Peltz (D) co-sponsored a decriminalization bill in 2009-2010.

Orange-1 (elects 2):

• Rep. Susan Davis (P) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Orange-Caledonia (elects 1):

• Rep. Chip Conquest (D) co-sponsored a decriminalization bill in 2009-2010.

Orange-Washington-Addison (elects 1):

• Rep. Patsy French (D) co-sponsored a decriminalization bill in 2009-2010.

Orleans-1 (elects 2):

• Loren Shaw (R) did not answer survey questions but responded with this comment: “When I took my oath of office, I pledged that I would up-hold the laws of the Federal government, and at present Marijuana is illegal in Vermont!  What don't you see or understand with this picture?”

Orleans-Caledonia (elects 2):

• Sam Young (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #3 and “undecided/need more information” on question #2. Comment: “While I voted for Vermont's marijuana dispensary law in 2011, question number #2 is a bit premature because the state has yet to license a single dispensary. The cap will be lifted or the program will be expanded if needed.”

Orleans-Lamoille (elects 1):

• Katherine Sims (P) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Rutland-5-4 (elects 1):

• Sherri Durgin-Campbell (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Washington-1 (elects 2):

• Colin Bright (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Washington-4 (elects 2):

• Rep. Warren Kitzmiller (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Washington-5 (elects 1):

• Rep. Tony Klein (D) co-sponsored a decriminalization bill in 2009-2010.

Windham-4 (elects 1):

• Rep. David Deen (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Windham-5 (elects 1):

• Rep. Richard Marek (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on questions #1 and #3 and “undecided/need more information” on question #2 (about removing the cap on patients who could frequent dispensaries.

Windsor-1 (elects 2):

• Rep. Donna Sweaney (D) co-sponsored a decriminalization bill in 2009-2010.

Windsor-4-1 (elects 1):

• Teo Zagar (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Windsor-4-2 (elects 2):

• Sheila Vowinkel (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.

Windsor-5 (elects 1):

• Rep. Alison Clarkson (D) co-sponsored a decriminalization bill in 2009-2010.

Windsor-Orange-2 (elects 2):

• Rep. Jim Masland (D) co-sponsored a decriminalization bill in 2009-2010. He also sponsored a bill in 2012 to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition for Vermont’s medical marijuana program.

Windsor-Rutland (elects 1):

• Sandy Haas (D) responded to MPP’s survey indicating “agree” on all three questions.