VIRGINIA, USA — Recreational cannabis sales are booming in Maryland and are expected to exceed what lawmakers predicted, but in Virginia, the adult-use market hasn't been able to take off.
In 2021, the General Assembly approved the Virginia Cannabis Control Act, but since then lawmakers have been unable to pass legislation that establishes the framework for a retail market.
Currently, there is no adult-use retail market in Virginia and there will not be on Jan. 1.
Democratic state Sen. Adam Ebbin sponsored a bill during the 2023 legislative session that would have seen Virginia regulators permit cultivation and retailers by 2024.
Ebbin's bill passed the Democratic-controlled but died in the House of Delegates.
Sources tell WUSA9 that the Virginia General Assembly will take recreational cannabis back up in the upcoming legislative session that is set to start Jan. 10.
"This is really frustrating for Virginians right now," JM Pedini with The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) told WUSA9. "It is entirely typical for there to be some amount of time between the date that legalization takes effect in the state and the date that retail sales can begin. But three years is far too long," they added.
Pedini who serves as the executive director of Virginia NORML says that having a Democratic-controlled General Assembly does provide an opportunity to move legislation forward, but what remains to be seen is whether Gov. Glenn Youngkin will sign a bill or allow it to take place.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin hasn't taken a clear stance on the issue, but in the past members of his administration have reportedly said the Republican Governor is not interested in legalizing adult recreational marijuana.
The delay in implementing a retail market is hurting the Commonwealth according to Pedini. "What we have seen in Virginia during this time frame is an explosion of the illicit market, arguably exacerbated by the absence of retail sale," Pedini said.
However, there is an important change that is happening at the start of the new year. On Jan. 1, Virginia's medical cannabis program will transition from the Board of Pharmacy over to the Commonwealth's Cannabis Control Authority.
The agency was created specifically to focus on regulating cannabis in Virginia. Experts are telling us this change won't have a huge impact on the day-to-day life of cannabis patients.
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