The sponsors of Virginia bills to legalize recreational marijuana sales are recommending that fellow lawmakers vote to reject the governor’s proposed amendments to the legislation this week.
Last week, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) suggested changes 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) and Del. Paul Krizek (D), who respectively sponsored the Senate and House versions of the cannabis sales legalization bills, both told Marijuana Moment that they want their colleagues to vote against the amendments when the legislature reconvenes on Wednesday—even if that means risking a veto from Spanberger when the measure returns to her desk.
“While the governor and I share the goal of establishing a safe, regulated cannabis market, we differ on how best to achieve it,” Aird said “The substitute moves Virginia in the wrong direction and disregards years of data-driven, bipartisan work and established best practices. For that reason, I will be recommending its rejection.”
“As our conversations continue, I urge the governor to reconsider provisions that reintroduce punitive measures undermining the intent of legalization, shift critical elements of the framework into an uncertain
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