Virginia: Reject governor’s amendments to adult-use sales bill!

After years of hard work and relentless advocacy, the Virginia General Assembly delivered a thoughtful and well-vetted bill, HB642/SB542, to legalize and regulate adult-use sales to the desk of Governor Abigail Spanberger. Unfortunately, the governor decided to formally request the legislature heavily amend that bill on the last possible evening. 

Many of the amendments were technical in nature, with little substantial effect. Yet there were several that will have profound effects on consumers, including adding criminal penalties to conduct that is now a civil offense. We hope that the General Assembly will either reject the substitute or reject the most egregious of the amendments.

The governor’s amendments include: 

• Re-criminalizing public consumption, changing it from a civil violation to a misdemeanor charge.
• Re-criminalizing possession by people under 21 (currently it is a civil, not criminal, charge) and including a mandatory fine and driver's license suspension of 6-12 months.
• Postponing adult-use sales until July 1, 2027, rather than January 1, 2027.
• Decreasing the amount a consumer can purchase from 2.5 ounces to two ounces (or an equivalent amount of infused products, to be determined by regulators).
• Decreasing the number of dispensaries from 350 to 200 until at least 2029.
• Increasing the excise tax from 6% to 8% on July 1, 2029 (this is in addition to regular sales taxes and local taxes).

If you live in Virginia, ask your legislators to stand firm and pass the cannabis sales bill in its original form!

In 2021, Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize cannabis for adults, but the journey to a retail market has been a long one. For nearly five years, sales remained illegal and unregulated while the former governor blocked reform efforts with his veto pen. Sales are an integral part of ending the failed policy of prohibition. Let’s stay focused on getting the best possible outcome for the Old Dominion State!

Other cannabis legislation

The governor also amended HB26/SB230, which creates the procedure for resentencing of people convicted of cannabis crimes and expungement. The General Assembly bill made the process automatic, but the governor amended it so that people will need to start the process individually. 

The governor signed HB942 into law to protect parents from child endangerment charges for the lawful use of cannabis. She also signed HB75, which will allow the use of medical cannabis in hospitals and allows hospital employees to possess medical cannabis on behalf of patients. This has been allowed in hospice and nursing homes since 2021. She also signed SB332, which will convene a work group to develop policies for the safe administration of medical cannabis to terminally ill patients.

Congratulations to every Virginian who spoke up, voted, and stayed the course. Your commitment and persistence brought this milestone to life. Together, we’ve built a freer, fairer, and more forward‑thinking Virginia.