“Any delay in implementation continues to drive consumers to the illicit market, jeopardizes public safety and delays the tools needed by law enforcement and regulators to address these concerns.”
By JM Pedini, NORML
Virginia lawmakers did their part by passing a bill this session to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis sales. Now, it is up to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) to finish the job by signing it into law without proposing any amendments to delay the launch of the legal market.
Virginia made history in 2021 when it became the first state in the South to legalize marijuana for adults. But elections have consequences, and the election of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2022 meant four years of stonewalling progress on cannabis policy and an explosion in illicit market activity.
Let’s be clear: legalization didn’t create Virginians’ demand for marijuana. But Youngkin’s failure to create a regulated cannabis market emboldened unregulated operators to meet their demand.
Unlike licensed dispensaries, the unregulated market is not subject to consumer safety standards or age verification requirements. Products are not consistently tested or accurately labeled, and there are no meaningful safeguards to keep them out of the hands of minors.
Jurisdictions that have enacted
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