Burlington

Law Enforcement

Burlington city police were considered more relaxed than UVM’s campus force and more interested in keeping the peace or catching people selling by the pound. A stop for under a slice sometimes ended with confiscation. A ticket and a smashed pipe were other possibilities. People who had seen these officers run thought trying to outrun one was a terrible idea. Vermont’s adult-use rules have changed since these accounts, as covered in Marijuana Laws.

Where to Buy Marijuana

UVM had the biggest scene, with Champlain and St. Mike’s in the mix too. The crowd walking up Main Street back to the dorms after class often knew somebody. Church Street and downtown student streets were other options. Sometimes a connection fee or a promise to share a smoke sweetened the introduction.

The later campus stories describe UVM trying to clean up its image, with its police walking the dorms with a drug dog named Dozer. That pushed the scene out of sight and made downtown or student neighbourhoods a better lead. Burlington’s glassblowers were another draw, with about seven shops within a downtown square mile. The staff had to stick to talking about tobacco water pipes, while other shoppers might know the scene.

Marijuana Prices

• US$35 for an eighth of brick, US$40–50 for a decent eighth and US$80 or more for some top-grade flower
• Vermont outdoor: US$10 per gram, US$30–35 for an eighth, US$60–70 for a quarter, US$120 for a half ounce and US$190–220 for an ounce
• Headies: US$20 per gram, US$50–60 for an eighth or US$100–120 for a quarter

Types of Marijuana

The supply could swing from brick one month to plenty of AK-47 the next. Northern Lights and other good Vermont outdoor were steadier, with a sweet, fruity smoke and an upbeat high. Outdoor could get scarce between spring and late-fall harvests. The headies were usually heavier and more expensive, with Great White Shark, Diesel and very skunky Skunk all turning up.

More Information

During term, weed flowed through the universities. It slowed on breaks, though summer was mentioned as an exception. Burlington’s friendly, rowdy and spacey crowds were part of its appeal. You have to be a little crazy to spend the winter by a windy Lake Champlain. For a smoker at the time, it still felt like a friendly place.