Virginia: Special session convenes tomorrow; Black caucus makes legalization a priority

Contact your lawmakers and ask them to support legalizing cannabis!

The Virginia Legislature convenes for a special session tomorrow to focus on budgeting, criminal justice, and police reform. There is increasing momentum from elected officials to consider cannabis legalization during the special session!

Both the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and Attorney General Mark Herring have included cannabis legalization in their list of priorities for the special session, and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney sent a letter to Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and legislative leaders asking them to legalize cannabis during the session.

Meaningful police reform must also include ending cannabis prohibition. Let your lawmakers know you want them to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older!

Virginia has taken big strides in cannabis policy reform this year, becoming the 27th state to decriminalize cannabis and making improvements to its medical cannabis program.

Still, legalization is needed to further reduce cannabis-related arrests, remove cannabis as a justification for police interactions, and displace the illicit market by providing adults safe, regulated access.

Polling has shown that 61 percent of Virginians support ending cannabis prohibition. Reach out to your lawmakers to ask them to support legalizing and regulating marijuana during the special session. Please forward this message to your family and friends in Virginia and encourage them to do the same.

Together, we can end prohibition in Virginia!