Vermont Lights up as Winter’s Best Vacation Wonderland

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]F[/dropcap]or some, medicating amongst snow-laden pine forests can mean only one thing: A winter trip to Vermont. Plus, Vermont provides some of the very best of winter’s snowy mountain and trail activities. However, when it comes to medical marijuana, Vermont doesn’t quite live up to its tourism tagline of “independent, friendly and quaint.”

Sure, Vermonters (as they call themselves) are mostly friendly, freedom-loving folks. Perhaps it is the state’s remote location, vast mountainous pine forests, raging rivers and cold winters that have kept Vermont one of the least populous states in the nation. And this isolation certainly makes for tough, independent-minded people who are open to visitors and most especially to their tourist dollars.

Tiny and landlocked Vermont, however, has somehow become this country’s best winter playground with no less than 19 alpine ski resorts and 30 cross country touring centers.  Outdoor recreation abounds in this stunningly beautiful state with such heart-pumping and body-warming activities as skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice skating.

Even culture and food blooms in Vermont’s winter wonderland. Concert halls, opera houses, art galleries and community halls open their doors and then turn the heat up for an eclectic mix of dance, music, festivities and performances. Other seasonal celebrations include costumed galas, holiday bazaars and First Night festivals. Don’t miss the Woodstock Wassail Weekend from December 11-13, Montpelier Christmas Antiques Market on December 22 and First Night Burlington on New Year’s Eve. Vermont makes for a fantastic winter’s getaway for those who love to medicate in crispy clean mountain air.

Fun-Filled Facts

—Vermont is the U.S.A.’s No. 1 maple syrup producer. While the sap doesn’t run until spring, Vermonters put their locally-made sweet liquid treat on some of winter’s best comfort foods such as atop pancakes and inside everything from sausages to desserts.

—Solitude is something to discover in this far-flung state as there’s about 626,000 Vermonters in only 251 towns and cities with Burlington being the most populous at around 40,000 year-round residents.

—Vermont voters are so forward-thinking that it was the first state to legally recognize gay couples by creating civil unions and was the first state to pass a marriage equality act.

If You Go

Cannabis has been legal for only seven “debilitating” medical conditions since 2004, although it took until 2013 for just three not-for-profit dispensaries to open legally in the state with another one going live in 2014 for a total of four cannabis clinics. First, patients should unfortunately start online by finding the Vermont Crime Information Center, which oversees the Vermont Marijuana Registry (VMR). Any MD, DO, PA, PA-C, ND or APRN who has been certified by the state with a “special license endorsement” and a “bonafide health care professional-patient relationship” can prescribe cannabis. Fortunately, there’s dozens of MMJ docs even in this sparsely-populated, yet pro-cannabis state. Next, Vermonters are forced to make an appointment at a dispensary, show up with licensed always in hand and, interestingly, bring a locked box to securely stash just-purchased meds. This heavy regulation makes prices for cannabis products in Vermont sky high, but some clinics use a sliding scale for those in need. Vermont is one of five states that will potentially go recreational in 2016 with two recreational bills still alive in the legislature and pro-cannabis politicians such as Governor Shumlin, State House Speaker Shap Smith, State Sen. David Zuckerman, Sen. Patrick Leahy and Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders. Gov. Shumlin and other Vermont politicians now support legalization after a Rand Corporation study back in January revealed that 80,000 Vermonters are regular cannabis users and switching to a recreational status could harvest an estimated $20-75 million annually in tax revenue.

Time to Go: Winter

Weather: Cold and snowy

Budget: $$$$$