Virginia adult-use sales bills pass both chambers, head to conference committee!

The Virginia House and Senate passed competing bills to regulate adult-use cannabis sales. Both chambers have agreed to the principle of adult-use sales, but now a consensus must be reached in a conference committee. 

The citizens of Virginia have waited too long to see adult-use sales begin, and the General Assembly has studied and debated this topic for three years. It’s time to get legalization done.

If you live in Virginia, your elected officials need to hear from you — their constituents!

Five years after possession and home cultivation were legalized in the Commonwealth, it is time to regulate adult-use sales. The most significant differences in the competing legislation are:

• Launch date of sale — House: November 1, 2026; Senate: January 1, 2027
• Fees for conversion of medical cannabis companies — House: $10 million; Senate: $15 million
• Tax rates — House: 14.8% (local taxes may vary); Senate: 17%
• Regulatory agency — House: Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (currently the regulatory agency for medical cannabis); Senate: new agency expanding the Alcohol Control Board

Both bills would allow consumers to purchase up to 2.5 ounces in a single transaction. Delivery would be allowed and local municipalities are not allowed to ban cannabis businesses.