§ 4472. Definitions

As used in this subchapter:

(1)(A) "Bona fide health care professional-patient relationship" means a treating or consulting relationship of not less than three months' duration, in the course of which a health care professional has completed a full assessment of the registered patient's medical history and current medical condition, including a personal physical examination.

(B) The three-month requirement shall not apply if:

(i) a patient has been diagnosed with:

(I) a terminal illness;

(II) cancer; or

(III) acquired immune deficiency syndrome;

(ii) a patient is currently under hospice care;

(iii) a patient had been diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition by a health care professional in another jurisdiction in which the patient had been formerly a resident and the patient, now a resident of Vermont, has the diagnosis confirmed by a health care professional in this State or a neighboring state as provided in subdivision (6) of this section, and the new health care professional has completed a full assessment of the patient's medical history and current medical condition, including a personal physical examination;

(iv) a patient who is already on the Registry changes health care professionals three months or less prior to the annual renewal of the patient's registration, provided the patient's new health care professional has completed a full assessment of the patient's medical history and current medical condition, including a personal physical examination;

(v) a patient is referred by his or her health care professional to another health care professional who has completed advanced education and clinical training in specific debilitating medical conditions, and that health care professional conducts a full assessment of the patient's medical history and current medical condition, including a personal physical examination; or

(vi) a patient's debilitating medical condition is of recent or sudden onset.

(2) "Clone" means a plant section from a female marijuana plant not yet root-bound, growing in a water solution, which is capable of developing into a new plant.

(3) "Criminal history record" means all information documenting an individual's contact with the criminal justice system, including data regarding identification, arrest or citation, arraignment, judicial disposition, custody, and supervision.

(4) "Debilitating medical condition" means:

(A) cancer, multiple sclerosis, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, glaucoma, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, or the treatment of these conditions, if the disease or the treatment results in severe, persistent, and intractable symptoms;

(B) post-traumatic stress disorder, provided the Department confirms the applicant is undergoing psychotherapy or counseling with a licensed mental health care provider; or

(C) a disease or medical condition or its treatment that is chronic, debilitating, and produces one or more of the following intractable symptoms: cachexia or wasting syndrome; chronic pain; severe nausea; or seizures.

(5) "Dispensary" means a business organization registered under section 4474e of this title that acquires, possesses, cultivates, manufactures, transfers, transports, supplies, sells, or dispenses marijuana, marijuana-infused products, and marijuana-related supplies and educational materials for or to a registered patient who has designated it as his or her center and to his or her registered caregiver for the registered patient's use for symptom relief. A dispensary may serve patients and caregivers at not more than two locations, as approved by the Department in consideration of factors provided in subsection 4474f(e) of this title, and may cultivate and process marijuana at a separate location from where patients and caregivers are served. All locations shall be considered part of the same dispensary operation under one registration.

(6) "Financier" means a person, other than a financial institution as defined in 8 V.S.A. § 11101, that makes an investment in, or a gift, loan, or other financing to, another person with the expectation of a financial return. If a financier is a business organization, as used in this chapter, the term "financier" includes each owner and principal of that organization.

(7)(A) "Health care professional" means an individual licensed to practice medicine under 26 V.S.A. chapter 23 or 33, an individual licensed as a naturopathic physician under 26 V.S.A. chapter 81, an individual certified as a physician assistant under 26 V.S.A. chapter 31, or an individual licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse under 26 V.S.A. chapter 28.

(B) This definition includes individuals who are professionally licensed under substantially equivalent provisions in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, or New York.

(8) "Immature marijuana plant" means a female marijuana plant that has not flowered and which does not have buds that may be observed by visual examination.

(9) "Marijuana" shall have the same meaning as provided in subdivision 4201(15) of this title.

(10) "Mature marijuana plant" means a female marijuana plant that has flowered and that has buds that may be observed by visual examination.

(11) "Mental health care provider" means a person licensed to practice medicine who specializes in the practice of psychiatry; a psychologist, a psychologist-doctorate, or a psychologist-master as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 3001; a clinical social worker as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 3201; or a clinical mental health counselor as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 3261.

(12) "Ounce" means 28.35 grams.

(13) "Owner" means:

(A) a person that has a direct or beneficial ownership interest of ten percent or more in a business organization, including attribution of the ownership interests of a spouse or domestic partner, parent, spouse's or domestic partner's parent, sibling, and children; or

(B) a person that has the power to direct, or cause the direction of, the management and policies of a business organization, including through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

(14) "Possession limit" means the amount of marijuana collectively possessed between the registered patient and the patient's registered caregiver that is not more than two mature marijuana plants, seven immature plants, and two ounces of usable marijuana. Any marijuana harvested from the plants shall not count toward the two-ounce possession limit, provided it is stored in an indoor facility on the property where the marijuana was cultivated and reasonable precautions are taken to prevent unauthorized access to the marijuana.

(15) "Principal" means a person that has the authority to conduct, manage, or supervise the operation of a business organization, and includes the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, manager, or similar executive officer of a business organization; a director of a business corporation, nonprofit corporation, or mutual benefit enterprise; a member of a nonprofit corporation, cooperative, or member-managed limited liability company; a manager of a manager-managed limited liability company; and a general partner of a partnership, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership.

(16) "Registered caregiver" means a person who is at least 21 years of age, has met eligibility requirements as determined by the Department in accordance with this chapter, and has agreed to undertake responsibility for managing the well-being of a registered patient with respect to the use of marijuana for symptom relief.

(17) "Registered patient" means a resident of Vermont who has been issued a registration card by the Department, identifying the person as having a debilitating medical condition pursuant to the provisions of this subchapter. "Resident of Vermont" means a person whose domicile is Vermont.

(18) "Secure indoor facility" means a building or room equipped with locks or other security devices that permit access only by a registered caregiver or registered patient.

(19) "Transport" means the movement of marijuana and marijuana-infused products from registered growing locations to their associated dispensaries, between dispensaries, to registered patients and registered caregivers in accordance with delivery protocols, or as otherwise allowed under this subchapter.

(20) "Usable marijuana" means the dried leaves and flowers of marijuana, and any mixture or preparation thereof, and does not include the seeds, stalks, and roots of the plant.

(21) "Use for symptom relief" means the acquisition, possession, cultivation, use, transfer, or transportation of marijuana or of paraphernalia relating to the administration of marijuana to alleviate the symptoms or effects of a registered patient's debilitating medical condition that is in compliance with all of the limitations and restrictions of this subchapter. (Added 2003, No. 135 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2007, No. 58, § 1; 2011, No. 65, § 1, eff. June 2, 2011; 2013, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2015, No. 168 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. June 6, 2016; 2017, No. 65, § 1; 2019, No. 40, § 8.)