Ask about advertising to increase cannabis tourism in the state and Scott Sparks will tell you, “It’s extremely complicated.” 

Scott Sparks – owner of Vermont Bud Barn, a cannabis retail shop; Vermont Hempicurean, a store specializing in Vermont CBD products; and Vermont Grow Barn, a grow supply store (all located in Brattleboro) – is a businessman who recognizes the value of Vermont’s craft products and progressive culture. 

In January 2022, capitalizing on the upcoming legalization of cannabis sales and the “Vermont vibe,” Sparks moved Vermont Hempicurean from his downtown Brattleboro location to an 1870 barn on Route 9 west of the city center. 

“It screamed Vermont to me,” Sparks said, referring to the barn.

The location plays well – high visibility, easy access, and plenty of parking – a great place, Sparks will tell you, to host music shows, something Sparks did on the large lawn to the side of the barn before he opened Vermont Bud Barn in October 2022. 

Current Vermont regulations prohibit public consumption of cannabis, meaning only adults who own a house or land can use cannabis legally, a law that is not uncommon in other states but is seen as having many implications such as inequity, racialized enforcement, and hindering cannabis tourism. 

“I could lose my license if someone consumed cannabis on my property,” Sparks said, acknowledging a percentage of adults use cannabis at music concerts, adding, the percentage would probably increase when a cannabis retail shop is just steps away from the event.

Some states, where recreational cannabis sales have been legal for longer than in Vermont (2022), like Colorado (2012), California (2016), and Nevada (2017), have friendlier cannabis industry regulations, allowing for promotion of cannabis tourism in their states. 

Colorado – the first state to legalize recreational cannabis offers:

• Smoking-friendly rental properties.

• Weed-themed classes like “puff and paint,” ganja yoga, “sushi and joint rolling.”

• Cannabis-infused massages.

• And weed tours.

California – the largest legal cannabis market in the world offers:

• Pot-friendly coffee shops.

• “Oaksterdam University,” a cannabis college in Oakland.

• Oakland Cannabis Trail.

Nevada – a state that changed their cannabis public consumption laws in 2022 offers:

• Consumption lounges.

• 420 cannabis bus tours.

• Puff and paint classes and cannabis pastry classes.

• And is home to Planet 13, the largest cannabis retail shop in the world at 112,000 square feet.

According to Grand View Research, an India and United States based market research and consulting company with headquarters in San Francisco, “The cannabis tourism market size was estimated at USD 10.23 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 23.73 billion by 2030…” The growth is, “… driven by rising demand for unique experiences, growing legalization, and regulation.”

The Vermont Cannabis Equity Coalition is advocating for two regulation changes that, as a consequence, could support cannabis tourism in Vermont.

1. Public consumption anywhere lit tobacco is allowed. This is a law that could help alleviate inequity and racialized enforcement while also increasing the ability for Vermont’s cannabis industry to promote cannabis tourism in the state.

2. Direct market sales (on-farm and off-farm i.e. farmer’s markets) for tier 1 and tier 2 cultivators and manufacturers, thus opening the door for growers to offer guided farm tours and manufacturers to offer tours without increased fear of losing their license. 

While some cannabis growers have offered cannabis farm tours in the past (Vermontijuana in 2023), Sparks recognizes the inherent complications with the endeavor.   

“People, rightfully so, think oh, I can buy some cannabis here or try some cannabis here,” Sparks said, noting both actions could lead to growers losing their license.

At Vermont Grow Barn, Sparks has installed a viewing window (with a blind) that looks out onto roughly 150 in-door grown cannabis plants cultivated by general manager Jeremy Deschaine. Customers can see the plants, which is legal, but they are not allowed to go inside the grow space. 

Sparks, who is chairman of the board of the Cannabis Retailers Association of Vermont and involved in the Sstatehouse, said he does not see significant cannabis regulations changing in Vermont that would help the cannabis industry promote tourism. 

So, for now, Sparks continues to rely on the local trade, selling to Vermonters and New Hampshire residents (cannabis is not legal in New Hampshire) because the cannabis industry is, well, as Sparks would say, “It’s extremely complicated.”