Virginia’s legislature took action on a series of marijuana bills on a key deadline Tuesday—advancing proposals to legalize cannabis sales, provide a pathway to resentencing for prior marijuana convictions and allow medical cannabis access in hospitals for seriously ill patients.
On Tuesday’s crossover deadline to move bills from one chamber to the other, the House of Delegates and Senate passed differing versions of marijuana sales legislation that will now be sent to the other body for consideration. The House approved its measure from Del. Paul Krizek (D) in a 65-32 vote, and the Senate moved its proposal from Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D) in a vote of 21-19.
Krizek said ahead of the vote that his bill is “about fixing a status quo that it’s not working.”
“In fact, it’s a mess right now. Adult possession of cannabis is legal, but sales are unregulated, and that means no testing, no standards and no oversight whatsoever,” he said. “This bill will replace that gray market—it’s a $5 billion illegal market out there—with a regulated system that protects public health with testing, labeling, packaging and strong enforcement and penalties, and keeps products away from minors.”
Aird, for her part, quipped on the Senate
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