Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration on Wednesday unveiled legislation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Virginia, proposing a 21% state tax on the drug and a licensing program meant to ease entry for people harmed by the disparate enforcement of marijuana laws. Following years of activism by civil rights groups, Northam threw his support […]
virginia marijuana
‘This Is Coming:’ State Work Group Releases Blueprint For Legalizing Marijuana In Virginia
Virginia should establish a Cannabis Cabinet to steer its effort to legalize marijuana, according to a work group that released nearly 500 pages of recommendations Monday. The report, ordered by law last year, adds that the cabinet should learn from the efforts of 10 states where it’s legal to sell recreational marijuana, with a focus on how a new industry can […]
Northam administration work group outlines path toward marijuana legalization in Virginia
Large investments in robust data collection, new regulation and public education should precede the legalization of recreational marijuana in Virginia — a landscape that “cannot be created quickly.” Those are some of the recommendations in a report published Monday by a work group that studied marijuana legalization in Virginia at the request of legislators. The […]
Northam: ‘We are going to move forward with legalizing marijuana in Virginia’
Gov. Ralph Northam said Monday he plans to propose legislation legalizing marijuana when the General Assembly convenes in January, setting the state on a path to become the first in the South to allow recreational use of the drug. “We are going to move forward with legalizing marijuana in Virginia,” Northam said. “I support that […]
Virginia lawmakers say door is open to legalizing marijuana in 2021
Members of the House of Delegates expect it to pass. In the Senate, they give it “slightly better than 50-50 odds.” And Gov. Ralph Northam’s office says he’s “certainly open to it.” Proposals to legalize recreational marijuana in Virginia are set to get their first serious hearings when the General Assembly convenes in January and, […]
Bill to end police stops for marijuana odor passes Virginia Senate
The state Senate approved a bill Friday that would prohibit search and seizures based solely on the odor of marijuana, which activists say is a step toward ending adverse enforcement against marginalized communities. Senate Bill 5029, introduced by Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, passed on a 21-15 vote. Chelsea Higgs Wise, executive director of Marijuana Justice, […]
New Virginia law makes it a crime to inquire about prior convictions for marijuana
Virginia employers are trying to keep up with the influx of changes and updates to the Virginia employment law landscape, including changes to the state’s marijuana laws. It still remains unlawful for a person to knowingly or intentionally possess marijuana unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order […]
Virginia lawmaker looks to legalize marijuana in special session
On July 1, a law decriminalizing the possession of a small amount of marijuana took effect in Virginia. Now, a state lawmaker said she plans to introduce a bill, which, if passed, would go a step further. “If we can decriminalize, we can legalize,” said Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, a Democrat representing parts of Prince […]
Virginia marijuana decriminalization law takes effect today
Legislation passed this spring decriminalizing marijuana possession offenses and sealing the records of past convictions from public view takes effect on Wednesday, July 1. ″[National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, NORML] is proud to have worked alongside Senator Ebbin and Delegate Herring, both longtime champions of evidence-based cannabis policy, to bring about these […]
Virginia Governor decriminalizes marijuana possession
Governor Ralph Northam has signed Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 972, decriminalizing marijuana possession, according to a news release from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The new law takes effect July 1, 2020 and reduces penalties for offenses involving personal possession of up to one ounce of marijuana to a […]
