An officer inspected the front lawn of the Vermont Capitol Monday and found a cannabis plant.
What We Know:
- The officer inspected the lawn after a visitor pointed out a plant that they believed to be hemp or marijuana. Capitol Police Chief Matthew Romei said they found 34 immature plants that are too young to differentiate.
- Hemp and marijuana are different because one has the potential to alter your mental state, according to a University of Minnesota study.
- Further lab testing would have to take place in order to identify the plants, but Romei says the department is not pursuing a criminal case, so there is no need to test them. “We also have no thoughts on why someone would plant it,” the department said.
- Vermont was the first state to legalize recreational marijuana through legislature instead of by ballot in 2018. The state legalized medicinal marijuana in 2004.
- “The beds are maintained — as you can see — very well by Buildings and General Services. They really know how to run a flower bed. It’s an impressive display every year but I don’t think they included this in their annual rollout,” Romei told WCAX3.
Adults who are 21 and over are allowed have up to 1 ounce of marijuana. If you wanted to grow plants, you are not allowed to have more than two mature marijuana plants and four immature marijuana plants, according to state law.
