A new initiative aims to raise awareness about Vermont’s cannabis industry.
Inspired by beer and wine trails that encourage people to try out different breweries and vineyards, the Cannabis Retailers Association of Vermont recently launched a CannaTrail.
The “trail” features 23 dispensaries from around the state and is described by the association as “an elevated journey through the Green Mountains.” Participants receive a passport-type booklet and can collect stamps at the dispensaries they visit.
Anyone 21 and older can take part, and no purchase is required at the shops. Prizes are available to people who get their passport stamped at every shop on the list.
“We thought it would be good to engage both locals and tourists,” said Scott Sparks, the association’s board chair. “And get them to travel around the state and support the cannabis community as a whole, just in a fun way.”
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Vermont has more than 100 dispensaries. Each of the 23 featured in the CannaTrail guide are members of the Cannabis Retailers Association of Vermont, a nonprofit that advocates for cannabis businesses in the state.
“It's to make sure people know we're there, especially with the challenges we face downtown,” said Tito Bern, co-owner of Bern Gallery, a smoke shop and glass gallery in Burlington.
“With all the various construction projects and all the other challenges, it's great to have an outlet where people can learn about us,” Bern said. “Because also, as you probably know, we are incredibly limited when it comes to advertising.”
Vermont regulators restrict how cannabis businesses can advertise their products, though a recent legal settlement is expected to relax some of those rules.
Encouraging people to check out new dispensaries could have ripple effects in surrounding communities, Sparks said.
“People can maybe visit parts of the state that they've never been to before, and maybe find other businesses to support along the way,” he said. “And we just see it as a good thing for Vermont in general, and the Vermont cannabis community in particular.”
