ROYALTON — A cannabis purveyor in a neighboring town is asking the Royalton Selectboard to put the question of retail sales to voters.
Royalton resident Shannon Morrill, who owns the Something Wicked dispensary in Bethel, asked the Selectboard at a meeting last Tuesday if the town would be open to the idea of her business operating there in the future.
“I think we should look into it and see what we can do for you,” Selectboard vice chair Larry Trottier said to Morrill at the meeting.
Her customer base at 269 Main Street includes many Vermont Law students who make their way over from South Royalton. Customers sometimes express that they would love to be able to walk there instead of drive.
“Where we are, we just don’t have as much foot traffic,” said Morrill.
Vermont’s Act 164, passed in 2020, allows for retail cannabis as long as the municipalities approve it by majority vote. In the Upper Valley, Hartford, Bethel, Bradford, Fairlee, Randolph, Strafford, Windsor and Woodstock have all opted in. Royalton has yet to do so.
Morrill inquired about putting the question of retail cannabis sales on the Aug. 11 primary ballot, but since the measure has to be warned 45 days in advance, it may be too late, Selectboard Chairman Patrick Dakin said at the meeting. The Selectboard clerk, Nell Gwin, suggested November as an alternative.
Royalton is also considering putting a 1% local option tax on the next Town Meeting warning for a floor vote. If both earn approval, a dispensary would contribute some revenue to the town.
At Something Wicked’s Bethel location, 1% of sales from last year amounts to $4,000, said Morrill at the meeting. Bethel does not currently have a local option tax.
The dispensary could also help attract customers for other businesses, Morrill said. At Something Wicked, 36% of customers have an out of state driver’s license, and some people visit town for the dispensary specifically. Morrill often directs them to nearby restaurants, she said.
“In Bethel, we all kind of take care of each other in that way,” said Morrill.
Though Morrill initially considered South Royalton when she first established her business in 2023, she opted for Bethel because waiting on town approval in Royalton would’ve added more time. She also had to wait several months on a retailer license from the state.
Morrill is not certain about a change of location, but she hopes that an answer from the town will provide clarity for business planning. Her current lease in Bethel goes through November, she added.
On a typical day, Morrill sees 20 to 30 customers, many of whom return, she said.
“I love our shop. It sits right on the waterfall in Bethel, but we are tucked in down a set of outdoor stairs. So it’s pretty discreet to get down there. It’s a little hard to find,” said Morrill.
Hartford, which approved cannabis sales in 2022, and a 1% local option sales tax last year, is bringing in revenue, Town Manager John Haverstock said Friday by phone.
While the revenue is not broken down by type of retail, Hartford anticipates a projected $1.1 million this year from the 1% tax, which is dedicated to property tax relief.
One particular benefit of dispensaries, said Haverstock, is they can bring in people from out of town to help take the tax burden off residents. Neighboring New Hampshire does not allow retail sales of recreational cannabis.
A portion of all cannabis sales, 20%, already goes to the state, according to the Vermont Legislative Joint Fiscal Office.
A 6% state cannabis sales tax supplements the Agency of Education’s Universal Afterschool and Summer Special Fund to support youth program expansions. The state anticipates $9.7 million toward this fund in 2026.
Additionally, a 14% excise tax goes 30% into the Department of Health’s Substance Misuse Prevention Special Fund. The other 70% of the excise tax is for the state’s general fund. The anticipated total from the 14% tax is $22.6 million this year.
Haverstock noted that he is not aware of any negative consequences of having dispensaries in Hartford.
Morrill acknowledged that there are pros and cons to retail cannabis. For one, some people worry that the availability of marijuana could put children at risk. Alternatively, it helps mitigate the illegal market by offering products all grown in small Vermont farms.
“People are willing to pay a premium to know they’re getting something that’s safe, and there’s comfort in knowing it’s legal,” said Morrill.
The Selectboard plans to discuss the potential ballot measure more in depth at its next meeting on July 14.
