Finally, Virginia has a plan.
Ever since possession and cultivation of marijuana was legalized in the state in 2021, it’s been in a sort of limbo. Despite legalization going into effect, Glenn Youngkin, a staunch opponent of marijuana, became Governor and vetoed anything weed-related that hit his desk.
His time in office is coming to an end, and the new Governor, Abigail Spanberger, is much more friendly towards legalization. So, with this in mind, a new bill has been formulated to hit the Governor’s desk once she’s inaugurated.
Sales are planned to begin on November 1st, 2026.
The dissonance of legal possession without a legal market creates a fruitful soil for the illicit market, which has been flourishing under this legal grey area for four years now.
Lawmakers are more confident in their legislation this time around. Some features were added to previous attempts at creating a market that would soften the deal for Youngkin, like local governments being able to opt out of a legal framework. That feature is no longer a part of this bill. Also, local jurisdictions have more control of how they would like to tax sales.
It’s very likely that this will pass in January, and Virginia will have dispensaries popping up as soon as November of next year.
Read the original story at Marijuana Moment.
