Devon Deyhle, a small Peachham, Vermont cannabis grower with an operation of less than 1,000 square feet, recently had to pay the price for a promotional video posted to social media.
Recorded in December (and has since been taken down), the video shows Deyhle getting out of his vehicle and entering a Manhattan storefront. Beyond the fact that this store was not licensed to sell recreational cannabis, Deyhle’s footprint in Vermont made it clear he was breaking federal interstate commerce laws.
On top of this, the video reveals Deyhle touting “a little tasty treat from Vermont that’s for you.” From there, he hands over a box of cannabis products with “Tall Truck” (the name of his brand) written across it.
As a result, Dehyle received a Notice of Violation from the Vermont Cannabis Control Board. It cited the video as evidence of Deyhle delivering Tall Truck products to New York City’s illicit market.
This came after someone reported the video to the board. In turn, Deyhle had to be a $20,000 fine for transporting cannabis across Vermont state lines.
“It was a great, great video,” he said in an interview. “But it wasn’t worth it. That’s for sure.” Deyhle continued, “It was pretty much a publicity stunt about me potentially opening up the market in New York City for Tall Truck. I guess I pushed the limits a little bit.”
Interstate Commerce in Vermont is Only Going to Continue
Beyond the $20,000 fine, Deyhle’s cannabis license was suspended for 60 days. Furthermore, he received another $10,000 fine for making false statements to the board. This was in response to the fact that upon receiving a license, all holders make a promise not to sell cannabis outside state lines.
Not to mention, there was an additional $10,000 for diverting Vermont’s cannabis to New York’s black market.
“It’s a killer for someone like me,” Deyhle said. “You make your bed, you sleep in it. You pay for your mistakes.”
As of now, there are no established recreational dispensaries within New York that hold a legal license. Such retail spaces are set to open in late December.
Still, such delayed actions on rolling out a legal industry have resulted in a number of illicit shops opening up across New York. With authorities estimating there may be as many as 1,400 illegal shops throughout NYC’s five boroughs alone.
Naturally, New York lawmakers are cracking down on these illicit transactions. However, such activity makes one thing clear—New Yorkers are (and have been) ready for legal marijuana.
Being that so many nearby states have legalized and developed industry, it comes as no surprise that licensed growers of these areas are supplying the Big Apple. However, since marijuana remains federally illegal, such interstate commerce also does.
Still, this hasn’t stopped legal growers from a variety of states from selling to illegal markets. The most notable example is California, where an oversupply of products (due to poor state management) has resulted in a number of cultivators selling cannabis illicitly. This cannabis is then distributed throughout the country—namely, in places where marijuana remains recreationally illegal.
While states can continue to do what they can in order to diminish illicit markets, one thing is clear. Until federal legalization occurs, an illicit market will continue to exist. Unfortunately, the prospects of that legalization are unclear. Especially with promises of simple decriminalization from the Biden administration still unaddressed.
