Vermont Democrats Call For Decriminalizing Drugs And Legalizing Marijuana Sales In Draft 2020 Platform

Vermont Democratic Party insiders are including planks to decriminalize drug possession and legalize marijuana sales in a draft platform for 2020.

The working document, which was obtained by Marijuana Moment, lays out a wide range of party priorities, including taking steps to stop relying on the criminal justice system to address social issues.

As written, the document pledges that the party will “ensure that cannabis is appropriately regulated and taxed in a manner that rights the historic wrongs of the War on Drugs and that recognizes the disproportionate impact prohibition has had on minority communities.”

It also calls for adopting “an approach to the possession and misuse of drugs that is motivated solely by the principles of public health and harm reduction, rather than punishing undesirable private behavior, while avoiding the criminal justice system altogether.”