Virginia lawmakers who sponsored bills to legalize recreational marijuana sales are pushing back forcefully against the governor’s suggested changes to their legislation.
On Monday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) proposed amendments to the cannabis commerce legalization measure—including delaying the start date for sales by six months, increasing taxes and instituting new criminal penalties for cannabis consumers.
Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D) said the governor’s substitute of her legislation “represents a significant departure from the framework passed by the General Assembly, raising serious concerns about fairness, access and public safety.”
“By making the legal market harder to access, this proposal allows the illicit market to continue to thrive in every corner store in our Commonwealth. That undermines the core goals of legalization and increases the likelihood of untested products, inconsistent potency, and lacks consumer protections,” she said. “It also weakens safeguards designed to prevent youth access and ensure accountability ultimately posing a risk to public health and safety.”
Del. Paul Krizek (D), who sponsored the cannabis bill in the House of Delegates, said Spanberger’s proposal “creates a less accessible legal marketplace.”
“These changes reduce the number of available licenses, delay the launch of retail sales and impose high barriers to entry, resulting in
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