moving to a rec cannabis state

Submitted by ShamanLifestyle t3_10clgf5 in vermont

Hello, I'm looking at moving to a state we're weeds legal recreationally. I'm looking at Michigan, Virginia, and Vermont. What are the best area's to live in those states, as a smoker? What kind of jobs are available in those areas for smokers? How do pre-employment drug screens work? What area's are family friendly with good schools? Preferably rural.

Edit: all the questions were posted as thought of and in no general order

Edit: For context, I'm a physically disabled vet and a househusband. It's not about moving to get messed up. I just want to be in a legal state where if my wife wants to smoke without being prosecuted for it she can.

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vwboyaf1 t1_j4gc9d3 wrote

Down in Southern Vermont the main industries are going to be C&S Warehouse, construction, logging and farming. As far as drug screening, you'll have to check out the job postings and websites of each organization before applying. Make sure you have a job secured before moving. You'll probably have to rent because home prices are high in comparison with the average wage. The entire state is family friendly with relatively good schools, but southern VT is the first stop for hard drug runners coming up from Mass. You'll probably see at least one trooper on the side of I-91 watching for sus cars if you're coming up from the south.

Be aware, if you're coming in from a place like Texas (tons of Texas folks coming out here to CO for weed right now) you need to understand we don't have many chain fast food places, big box stores, or much of a night life. Everything is very mom and pop, and the state basically closes up at around 8pm. The winters are long, cold, and dark, so make friends and pick up a hobby, because that's the only way to survive out here.

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4gcu25 wrote

I really appreciate the details you've provided. Are there any areas you recommend to look at in particular?

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vwboyaf1 t1_j4gf0z1 wrote

I'm a bit against moving to a state primarily for weed access, because I've seen what usually happens to those families time and time again out here in CO. They usually show up with no job and no plan, but end up just smoking weed all day until they are evicted. I've gone through 3 neighbors in 5 years that way. They always end up moving back to Texas (because illegal weed was cheaper anyway).

I'm not saying you are this way, but if I were you, I'd spend my time and money learning a real skill at a trade school, and find the best place to live based on that. I would never base major life decisions on where I could legally get fucked up, and neither should you.

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4gg7ul wrote

For context, I'm a physically disabled vet and a househusband. it's not about me getting fucked up I just want to be in a legal state where if my wife wants to smoke without being prosecuted for it she can.

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vwboyaf1 t1_j4ghtbl wrote

Ok that's fine, but it doesn't really change anything. What skills is your wife bringing to the state? What does she do now? Is she ok with all the things I talked about above? Why isn't she the one asking these questions?

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4gjbdx wrote

She's a warehouse and shipping specialist. She doesn't have a reddit account. We're fine with the info we know she's going to need a job before we move to wherever. I do have income on my end that's more than sufficient to live on for a few months if I were to just pack and move, if she couldn't find work immediately.

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vwboyaf1 t1_j4gjpt2 wrote

She could easily find a job at C&S then. They are always looking for people like her.

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4gjkz6 wrote

We're only on here to gather information about states; possibly hear about cities or towns we've never heard of before.

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vwboyaf1 t1_j4gnp6b wrote

I would also recommend comparing state benefits for disabled vets. Some places have huge tax breaks and free vehicle registration if you are over 50%. I only get 10% due to insomnia, but I still like the support infrastructure for vets out here in Colorado.

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4goep6 wrote

See we wanted to move to CO but we're so worried about the hype around Yellowstone. It's like is it volcano is it not a volcano. If it blows do we want to risk being near the blast zone or debris field? Would there be time to evacuate? Just stuff like that, we've also heard it's hard to find places that aren't riddled with meth users.

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vwboyaf1 t1_j4gppjj wrote

We'll probably get nuked before Yellowstone pops off lol.

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gingerkid_420 t1_j4l9jph wrote

Bro Yellowstone is the reason u won’t move to CO🤣🤣🤣

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Allemaengel t1_j4gf4hy wrote

I'm down here in northern Pennsylvania and your entire second paragraph is exactly why I like Vermont.

Long, cold dark winters beat hot, humid buggy summers with ticks, yellow jackets, poison ivy and mosquitoes any day.

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vwboyaf1 t1_j4gfpbx wrote

Vermont: Why not both?

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Allemaengel t1_j4gsl3r wrote

Maybe summers there are nice. I've only been there in Septembers.

I work road construction outside Philly and summer doing roadwork in southeastern PA is really rough at times.

I just love winter, especially starry nights with a full moon on the snow.

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twowheels t1_j4mxy8z wrote

The number of bugs in my house that swarm my front door, create huge writhing masses on my windowsills at night, and fill my house every time I open any door was the biggest surprise when moving to VT. I bought two Katchy traps to keep them under control.

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4k857c wrote

I was born and raised in PA. Lived all over in Beaver County and up in Schuylkill County in the Poconos for about 3 years before I joined the military.

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Odd-Philosopher5926 t1_j4ib357 wrote

Hopefully you are a trust funder who works from home. You’ll fit right in. And boy oh boy please let us know how you would fix this state after living here for a few weeks. We natives love that

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Greenlettertam t1_j4hqdn2 wrote

You may be stigmatized because you don’t work while living here, or you do not have a vehicle. Make sure someone in your family does and they are reliable. You are a Vet, and people here love veterans.

You should be fine.

In my experience: Vermonters are a hard working, sometimes conservative people. Even in secret. There are some good folks here, but making friends is tough unless you have family here. It takes patience.

Public transportation is very sketchy and the winters are cold too. Weed is a little expensive recreationally. If you are going to move to VT. I would choose, Montpelier or Burlington. They have the most walkable cities. Down Street and Housing Trusts are wonderful, but make sure you have a place to stat before moving. Solidify that stuff, affordable housing is scarce.

If you smoke cigarettes, federal and assisted housing does not allow it. You must smoke 25 feet from the building. If you find a place with non smoking tenants. I wouldn’t rent there.

If you have a Mental health issue or LD short of being in physically disabled, I do not suggest telling any medical practitioners because they will make sure you don’t get proper care. This is an unpopular opinion: However, diagnostic overshadowing is rampant here; and your records are not amendable without a doctors permission for 10 years. Professionals are considered gods here. Do not make the mistake of cracking wise with them. You will be on your own.

Also, make sure you are as thin as possible. This is important because the doctors in Montpelier are highly fatphobic, even if you are even slightly overweight. I believe this problem is chronic in the medical community and factual.

Getting a med card is very hard unless you have a qualified condition. Many doctors will say “weed is legal isn’t it?”
Then give you the riot act on how horrible it is. Be prepared for that. Many medical professionals think they will get tagged by the DEA. When, in truth, they’re only verifying you have a substantial condition, and not signaling that they approve medical cannabis. They can’t get in trouble for signing off on you becoming a patient.

The Recreational Dispensaries have some decent weed. The weed costs anywhere from 12 for a pre-roll to 50 for five top shelf joints. They are very potent. More potent than the medical dispensaries. The 1/8 will cost 50 to 75 dollars. I expect they’ll bring the prices down soon. I don’t think recreational has concentrates yet, and the edibles are better medicinally. However, the plant material seems better recreationally.

You won’t be taxed medicinally, but you will pay tax recreationally. The Medical side sometimes raises prices, so they can secretly include the tax. I hope that changes with more over-site. Also, SNAP and Medicade/Veterans pay 10% less.

You can also grow your own if you have a place that allows that, and you have a garden. Most home owners enjoy that privilege here. I would look at the Vermont cannabis feeds on Readit too. They’re kind folks.

Employers can fire you even if you are a medical patient, so make sure you feel out the person who is hiring you. Most hospitality businesses are fine with it.

Things operate at a slower pace in VT, so if you’re expecting a bustling environment. Burlington might be your speed. It isn’t as rural, but it has commerce that is more mainstream. You said you wanted “rural”, so Montpelier might be a good choice if you want the best of both worlds.

Northfield is small, but the silence and Dog River at night is so wonderful. The stillness is a blessing. I suspect that there are wonderful rural areas that you may enjoy.

I love Vermont, it’s worth a shot. Just be informed before you move here. People might also be a little resistant to you at first because you’re an “outsider”.

Be healthy, safe and well!

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joeydokes t1_j4gscwt wrote

Moved from VT to Bangor, ME

At least a dozen rec pot shops in town, another 1/2 dozen med shops;

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_j4gadn3 wrote

Where do you currently live (because for some states the improvement in education state-wide is dramatic)?

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4gbz2t wrote

North West Ohio

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Unique-Public-8594 t1_j4glv9x wrote

Good on you for thinking about quality of education.

Pivot here:

As far as which state, If it were me, I’d decide this way:

If you want the more liberal choice, love mountains, dislike billboards and traffic, and don’t care about ease of shopping, go with Vermont but if you need medical care it is an advantage to locate near White River Junction / Dartmouth.

If you prefer the warmest of the three, the generally more conservative choice, or will want to be closer to the ocean, go with Virginia. (Although as far as ocean goes, Michigan has Great Lakes, and parts of Vermont might be closer to Hampton NH than the Big Stone Gap / Rte 23 area is to the ocean.)

If you have people in Ohio you will be wanting to visit, go with Michigan.

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MizLucinda t1_j4gx9lq wrote

We have a very good VA in White River, which would likely be important - perhaps moreso than Dartmouth.

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nogzila t1_j4gegcu wrote

I currently live in Virginia and you can grow and smoke it but the only place you can buy it is in DC which is shady and not very good .

They are also trying their best to repeal it . Almost all northeastern states , west coast states , and Colorado are full legal.

In Maine they can’t even test you for it for a job anymore .

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-_Stove_- t1_j4juuqc wrote

Honestly, all things being equal, you should add Maine and Mass to the list of places you are considering.

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MudaThumpa t1_j4gi8bj wrote

Not sure if you've considered Missouri, but recreational weed was voted in last year. It'd be a much more lateral move from Ohio, with less culture shock and probably lower expenses.

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ShamanLifestyle OP t1_j4gl8wc wrote

I lived in PA for 18 years, GA for 1 and a half, and ohio till now. I love different cultures. Never knew the real meaning of southern hospitality till I live in GA but u was in the military at the time.

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here_f1shy_f1shy t1_j4gmdsh wrote

I'd look in the greater Dartmouth ecosystem area. So White River junction, Norwich, etc. There is a VA Hospital, Vet Center etc. Plus the greater Dartmouth area has a lot going on so there is a variety of jobs. I am sure you could find something that fits your particular restrictions. If not working at the VA itself.

Semper Fi killer.

Edit:. The schools are good over there too cause, well, ddaarrttmmoouutthh snoody voice. A lil expensive though.

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bonanzapineapple t1_j4gbgx4 wrote

I don't know that all that many jobs in VT drug test, outside of health care perhaps

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escobert t1_j4kyhud wrote

You might be surprised then. many manufacturing companies do. hell I got tested by O'reily auto parts although that may have changed now that it's legal.

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Jerry_Williams69 t1_j4gbpvm wrote

I would say Ann Arbor, MI, but check out the Huron River PFAS/hexavalent chrome situation and the dioxane plumes. The area is great for families, education, and cannabis, but the pollution is severe and is why my family moved to Vermont from Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor and Burlington are really similar cities. Burlington has its own demons though. The opioid epidemic is much worse in the NE than SE MI. The secret is out on Vermont too. So many people moving here that housing is very scarce. Vermont's recreational cannabis industry is just getting started tho. Might be cool to ride the tide.

Side note, the west side of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, including Grand Rapids, is known as the Bible Belt of the North. Take that for what it is worth. Lots of pollution over there too.

If you can find a job, Traverse City, MI would be a great place to live. I think it's equivalent in Vermont would be Stowe.

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DayFinancial8206 t1_j4hv2uw wrote

Up in the Chittenden area I've never been screened, though most apartments in the area are not smoker friendly unless you have a private porch or something (and even then neighbors can still complain if it wafts over). On the plus side we have edibles :)

Rural tends to be expensive or really bad quality though you may be able to find something good if you go far enough out

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goodtimesVT t1_j4kiwb1 wrote

DM me OP I’ll answer all the questions I can including the VA situation here 100% P&T myself.

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