Lower penalties for marijuana possession are on the horizon in Virginia. A bill passed on Monday by the House of Delegates would impose a civil fine of $25 for the possession of less than a half-ounce marijuana, dropping the penalty from the current $500 fine and 30-day jail stay. The civil penalty would also stay off of […]
virginia marijuana
Virginia House of Delegates votes to decriminalize marijuana
In a sweeping bipartisan vote in the House of Delegates, members voted to decriminalize marijuana possession on Monday 64-34. House Bill 972, introduced by Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, passed its second major hurdle of the 2020 session on Monday. Nine of the 44 Republicans in the House voted to support the bill that would knock simple […]
Virginia Governor Makes Marijuana Decriminalization Top Of Legislative Agenda
Governor Ralph Northam says removing arrest and jail penalties for possession meant for personal use is his highest priority for criminal justice legislation in the upcoming session of Virginia’s General Assembly. The legislature convenes this month for the first time since Democrats took control of both chambers. Ahead of that meeting, Northam released a host of […]
Prosecutors won’t pursue marijuana possession charges in 2 Northern Va. counties
Adults possessing small amounts of marijuana for personal use will no longer be prosecuted in two Northern Virginia counties, new prosecutors in Fairfax and Arlington said Thursday on one of their first days on the job. The moves fulfill campaign pledges by Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano and Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, […]
Virginia moves closer to more relaxed pot laws with Democratic majority
Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring and the General Assembly’s new “Cannabis Caucus” are exploring ways to loosen state marijuana laws, and will meet Wednesday to discuss decriminalizing possession of the drug and legalizing it for recreational use. Under the Democrats’ new majority in Richmond, lawmakers expect to pass legislation that has languished in previous years andseeks […]
A Democratic takeover could make Virginia more marijuana-friendly. But legalization may still be years away.
Ever since Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize marijuana in 2012, cannabis-skeptical Republicans have controlled at least one chamber of the Virginia General Assembly. In a few months, that could change. If Democrats win full control of the statehouse next month by gaining four seats, Virginia would enter unknown territory on marijuana […]
Virginia AG Herring supports legalizing recreational marijuana
Attorney General Mark Herring has tweeted his support for the legalization of recreational marijuana in Virginia. “Virginians know we can do better. It’s time to move toward legal, regulated adult use,” Herring said in his Oct. 1 retweet of a study that revealed more than half of Virginians agree with him. The study, published by […]
Virginia Attorney General calls for marijuana legalization in Virginia
Attorney General Mark Herring says he will push Virginia to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults — a first for a statewide official in the commonwealth, which has traditionally taken a conservative approach toward drugs. Other prominent Virginia politicians have previously called for decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, including the two Democrats who […]
Dozens of companies compete for a piece of Va.’s limited medical marijuana market
Four decades after Virginia legalized medical marijuana in a pioneering but ultimately unworkable way, dozens of companies are vying for the state’s permission to grow cannabis and make a medicinal oil out of the otherwise outlawed weed. Under emergency legislation passed early this year, Virginia will grant up to five permits to produce cannabidiol (CBD) […]
Medical Marijuana Bill Passes Virginia Senate Unanimously
RICHMOND – The Virginia Senate voted unanimously Monday to pass the Joint Commission on Health Care bill SB 726, which will let Virginia doctors recommend the use of cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil for the treatment of any diagnosed condition or disease. This comes on the heels of Friday’s unanimous passing of the companion bill, HB 1251, in the […]
Virginia State Officials Meet to Discuss Marijuana Decriminalization
In the 10-year period ending last year, there were 133,256 arrests in Virginia for possession of marijuana, 84 percent of them first-time offenses. Nevertheless, relatively few people go to jail in the state solely for possession of marijuana, according to a study prompted by a proposal that would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of […]
Va Lawmakers Will Decide If the State Should Study Marijuana Decriminalization Today
A group of state lawmakers will decide in a closed meeting Wednesday whether the state should study marijuana decriminalization this year as requested by a key legislative leader. The executive committee of the Virginia State Crime Commission will meet in Richmond to discuss several pending requests for studies, according to commission staff attorney Colin Drabert. […]
Does This Big-Time Virginia State Senator Support Marijuana Decriminalization?
Did a powerful Republican in the Virginia General Assembly open the door – just a crack – to decriminalization of marijuana in the Old Dominion? Let’s go to the tape – or, in this case, the Virginian-Pilot, which quoted state Sen. Thomas K. Norment Jr. appearing at a meeting on Tuesday with the Norfolk City […]
Virginia Governor Shows Support For Medical Marijuana In Interview
Medical marijuana could be coming to Virginia in 2017 if Governor Terry McAuliffe has it his way. The governor shared his support for medical marijuana during an interview with WTOP radio Wednesday and said he’d like to legalize a statewide cannabis program for medical patients, but didn’t think Virginia state lawmakers would back him up. The governor made it […]
