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MONTPELIER, Vt. - Vermont's top law enforcement official says he wants a tax and regulated system for cannabis.
Democratic Attorney General TJ Donovan told the Senate Committee on Judiciary Thursday that the legislation calling for a 10-percent tax on marijuana sales, including edibles, is "about protecting consumers and protecting kids."
"We can't tell Vermonters that they can possess and be silent on how you obtain it," he said.
Donovan cited the arrest of a Burlington head shop owner for selling marijuana from his store to highlight the need for a regulated system to weaken the black market.
"When we are silent, you're going to have an abuse of that system," he said. "Thankfully somebody didn't get hurt but it raises real issues."
