CCB Board Meeting Brief Overview

On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, the Cannabis Control Board held its monthly meeting approving one initial license and sixty-six license renewals. Representatives from the Department of Environmental Conservation's Solid Waste Management Program were present to discuss the waste stream for regulated products. Chair Pepper gave an overview of Act 56 (2025), and the Board also engaged in discussions on various issues. According to the Cannabis Control Board, there are currently 618 active licenses.

A slide from the June 25, 2025, Executive Directors Report depicting the license category experiencing the greatest number of relinquishments.

“More than 100 licensed Cultivators have left the industry since the beginning of 2024, more than any other license type. This decline can be attributed to several reasons but is primarily a result of challenges in market access, as reported by the CCB, and the shortcomings of the market’s structure. Local producers contribute significantly to the unique qualities of the Vermont marketplace, adding value and distinguishing it from other states. The high relinquishment rate is not surprising to us; critical flaws in the market structure are a key reason we opposed the enabling statute back in 2020. This issue could be addressed through various measures, such as implementing direct sales, transitioning from an opt-in to an opt-out system, and making other structural reforms.”

Meeting Overview

The Board had a pretty busy meeting this month. During Chair Pepper's opening remarks on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, he expressed disappointment to the General Assembly over Bill H.321, which was enacted as Act 56 (2025) highlighting the need for direct sales for producers to survive this market and that the proposal for the Board's event permit could not make it to the Governor's desk suggesting that the stigmatization of cannabis is still abundant in the State House contrasting it with other similar sectors, such as alcohol, where legislators made permanent selling pre-made cocktails in their cars curbside this session.

Chair Pepper also mentioned during opening remarks that LCAR may complete its work on the recent administrative rule changes and that they could be in effect by the next Board meeting, noting that the Board will hold an event to overview those changes or issue guidance once finalized. Commissioner Hulburd also mentioned during opening remarks that the ACCD is working with Vermont State University on a pilot workshop program for Social Equity applicants they hope to make available later this summer.

After the opening remarks, Executive Director Fitch presented the monthly Executive Director report, which included a stark data set showing that Cultivators is the license type with the greatest number of relinquishments. More than 100 licensed Cultivators have left the industry since the beginning of 2024, more than any other license type. This decline can be attributed to several reasons but is primarily a result of challenges in market access, as reported by the CCB, and the shortcomings of the market's structure. Local producers contribute significantly to the unique qualities of the Vermont marketplace, adding value and distinguishing it from other states. The high relinquishment rate is not surprising to us; critical flaws in the market structure are a key reason we opposed the enabling statute back in 2020. This issue could be addressed through various measures, such as implementing direct sales, transitioning from an opt-in to an opt-out system, and making other structural reforms.

Below are some noteworthy data sets from this month's Executive Director report:

There are 618 active total licenses;
401 active total Cultivators, a decrease of 7 licensees from last month;
2 Integrated;
94 Manufacturers;
110 Retailers;
2 Testing Labs;
8 Wholesalers;
1 Propagator, and;
372 Standard licensees, a decrease of 5 from last month, 156 Economic Empowerment licensees, a decrease of 4 from last month, and 99 Social Equity licensees, an increase of 2 from last month.

Following the Executive Director’s report and presentation, the Board welcomed Shannon Choquette and Ben Gauthier of the Department of Environmental Conservation's Solid Waste Management Program to discuss waste issues such as packaging, hazardous waste such as batteries, and organic waste.

After the discussion with the Department of Environmental Conservation, Chair Pepper gave a walkthrough of Act 56 (2025) which was previously called Bill H.321 this past legislative session, emphasizing that this new law largely reflects technical change from the CCB.

Section 1 – Allows law enforcement to seize cannabis that's illegal as deemed by the CCB, such as delta-8, synthetics, pesticides tainted products, etc.
Section 2 – Reflects the third attempt to get the FBI to approve Vermont for background checks, suggesting it would reduce costs and make it easier for licensees, should the FBI accept this language, which is to be determined.
Section 2b – Adds an individual from Migrant Justice to the Land Access and Opportunity Board.
Section 3 – Technical amendment from last year redefining delta-8, synthetics to be under the jurisdiction of CCB which it bans through its administrative rules.
Section 5 – Generally speaking, allows the CCB to continue to use third parties should the FBI deny Vermont again.
Section 6 – Temoves the statutory requirement for CCB to provide temporary employee ID cards, and suggests they now process ID cards quickly and have no reason to continue doing so.
Section 7 – The receivership corollary, rare instances where the cannabis business cannot continue to operate with the current principals, such as a divorce, death, etc., this amendment allows the CCB to approve a court-appointed receive to wind down a business temporarily
Section 9 – This amendment requires cannabis labeling to include a harvest date and packed-on date, suggesting it will help avoid any misrepresentation of the actual age of the product.
Section 10 – Allows propagators to sell seeds and living plants to retailers.
Section 12a – This amendment includes a few different leg report charges, fee schedules, and production limits, such grower canopy and manufacturer gross caps – requests those to be involved to email the CCB to convene the working group for later this summer, James to take the lead on this report, then a report for the CBDF allocations, Julie and Kyle to take the lead on this report.
Section 13 – The Chair states is a request from the tax department to provide assurances that businesses are up to date on paying taxes and adds excise tax, suggesting it's largely about transparency for the transfers of business.
Section 13 – This amendment is not about cannabis, this amendment ensures synthetic nicotine products are taxed the same as nicotine products.
Section 14 – Lastly, this section is a technical amendment that deletes a reporting requirement for the auditor.

We are working to develop a resource guide for this new law, which will include a more thorough explanation of the legislation along with our analysis and commentary.

Initially Licensed This Meeting

Below is a list of the initially licensed in this Board meeting. Refer to the Executive Director report for the list of license renewals, and other licensing-related issues from this Board meeting.

👉 Manufacturers:
- The Magician’s Kitchen