An act relating to increasing the penalties for sales of illegal drugs and sales of cannabis to persons under 21 years of age

This bill proposes to increase criminal penalties for selling cannabis to people under 21 and for selling or possessing cocaine, LSD, heroin, and fentanyl in Vermont. It directly affects individuals who dispense or sell these substances, as well as those who knowingly enable underage cannabis consumption. The legislation establishes stricter sentencing guidelines, including longer prison terms and higher fines, with particularly severe penalties for repeat offenders and cases involving deaths or serious injuries caused by impaired driving. The bill also clarifies that licensed dispensaries providing cannabis to registered patients or caregivers are exempt from these new restrictions.