Virginia is in a bit of a bind. After legalizing marijuana in 2021, Governor Glenn Youngkin came to power and brought his very anti-marijuana stance along with him.
The initial bill only legalized possession of marijuana. It required additional legislation to set up a market in the state, and that’s where it’s been stuck ever since.
A very similar bill was taken to Youngkin last year, which he also vetoed at the time.
His reasoning has been consistent, claiming that legalizing a market would “take the Commonwealth backward by making our communities less safe.”
It’s unclear where a basis for this viewpoint comes from, considering the most common understanding is that illicit markets are much more dangerous than state-run markets, but that’s where he stands.
Youngkin killed a number of bills this week, including a minimum wage increase to $15 an hour, a plastic bag tax, and one that would create a paid family leave program.
Read the original article at MJBizDaily.
