On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, the Cannabis Control Board held its monthly meeting, approving one initial license and fifty-five license renewals. The Board also held important discussions around intoxicating hemp-derived products, hemp processors, medical dispensaries, and retail relocation. According to the Cannabis Control Board, there are currently 614 active licenses in place.

A slide from the July 30, 2025, Executive Directors Report showing three-months of total active licenses in each license type.

“One of these data sets is a slide that illustrates the total number of active licenses over the past 12 months. The lowest number of active licenses, over the last year, was recorded in August 2024, with 560 licenses. The highest number of active licensees was in March 2025, with 629 licensees. There is a five-month downward trend in the total number of active licensees since March, with nearly two dozen licensees experiencing a decline.”

Meeting Overview

The Cannabis Control Board (CCB) held a busy Board meeting on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, to address various issues. During Chair Pepper’s opening remarks, he announced that the Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR) recently approved the agency’s changes to its administrative rules, which went into effect on July 15. He also highlighted a recent CCB Peer-Networking event that provided an overview of these changes. Additionally, Chair Pepper mentioned significant updates to the guidance library and addressed the delay in making the enhanced employee training for the new Medical-Use Endorsement retailer license available for the fall.

After the opening remarks, Executive Director Fitch presented the monthly Executive Director report, which included some interesting new data sets. One of these data sets is a slide that illustrates the total number of active licenses over the past 12 months. The lowest number of active licenses, over the last year, was recorded in August 2024, with 560 licenses. The highest number of active licensees was in March 2025, with 629 licensees. There is a five-month downward trend in the total number of active licensees since March, with nearly two dozen licensees experiencing a decline.

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

There are 614 active total licenses;
394 active total Cultivators, a decrease of 6 licensees from last month;
2 Integrated;
95 Manufacturers, an increase of 1 licensees from last month;
110 Retailers;
2 Testing Labs;
8 Wholesalers;
3 Propagators, an increase of 2 licensees from last month, and;
366 Standard licensees, a decrease of 6 from last month, 149 Economic Empowerment licensees, a decrease of 7 from last month, and 99 Social Equity licensees, no change from last month.

Hemp, Medical Dispensary, and Retail Relocation Discussions

Following the Executive Director’s report and presentation, the Board engaged in three important discussions: intoxicating hemp-derived products and hemp processors, medical cannabis dispensary licensing, and retail relocation.

In 2023, the Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) closed its in-state hemp program, delegating the local hemp market to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In response, the CCB created a registration form on its website for hemp processors. However, the CCB is not authorized to manage or track hemp processors. The Board determined that it lacks statutory authority to do so and agreed to discontinue the registration form on its website. Vermont hemp farmers must register with the USDA and adhere to state regulations regarding allowances and market access. Vermont stands out as one of the few states in the country with fair rules for intoxicating hemp-derived products, ensuring parity with its adult-use market and prohibiting synthetics and analogs from production and retail.

Following the discussion on hemp, the Board addressed the Medical Dispensary license for the Vermont Medical Cannabis Program. The conversation began with CCB General Counsel Gilman providing an overview of the program’s history and legislative intent. Subsequently, the Board engaged in discussions and voted to temporarily suspend the Medical Dispensary application window. While the Medical Dispensary license remains part of the Medical Cannabis Program, the CCB has effectively closed its application window. Commissioner Kyle highlighted the interest in the Medical-Use Endorsement retail license from adult-use retailers and suggested that this could potentially revitalize the medical program.

The final discussion item in this meeting centered around retail relocation. This topic has been an ongoing conversation between the CCB and the community for a couple of years, beginning in 2024 when the General Assembly issued a legislative charge to the CCB to establish rules for issuing retailer licenses. During this meeting, the Board established a process for retail relocation that places the responsibility on the applicant to demonstrate their license and prove that their new location will enhance the geographical distribution of retailers, as evidenced by both empirical and subjective criteria.

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.

👉 Propagator:
- Birdseye Botanicals