Legislators plan to confront Gov. Glenn Youngkin on another high-profile veto among the record number of bills he killed from last year’s General Assembly: this time, on a measure to create a legal retail market for marijuana.
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The General Assembly decided in 2021 that possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana would no longer be a crime.
But for now, the only way to obtain an ounce is to grow a small number of plants or through a sale that is illegal in Virginia.
Krizek
This year, Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax, wants to try again to make buying and selling small amounts legal.
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“We introduced the adult use of retail cannabis bill to keep this public safety issue front and center,” Krizek said.
“We should not allow the illegal cannabis market to persist, fueling crime, illicit and unsafe products, posing risks to our schools and communities,” he said.
As with the bill state Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, shepherded through an essentially party-line vote last year, Krizek’s bill would cap the number of stores that could operate in Virginia at 350.
That’s fewer than the 2021 decriminalization bill contemplated, but without taking all of the steps needed to set up a legal market.
Krizek’s bill would limit the amount of marijuana any store could sell an individual to 2.5 ounces.
It would increase the amount of marijuana that Virginians could possess legally to that level, as well.
The bill would levy a tax of 8% on marijuana sales, which would come on top of a partial state sales tax levy.
Localities could levy a 2.5% tax as well and would have the power to say where stores could be and the hours they could operate.
They could also hold a referendum to bar stores from opening.
Stores and cultivators would have to be licensed and would be responsible for detailed reports to ensure that no marijuana moves out of the regulated channels.
The bill would allow licensed stores to begin selling marijuana after May 1, 2026. The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority would have to set regulation and a seed-to-sale tracking system by the end of 2025.
While the bill has not changed, neither has Youngkin’s attitude.
“Time and time again, he’s made clear his opposition,” said press secretary Christian Martinez.
Krizek said he hopes Youngkin will change his mind.
“I know he is a lame duck, but the governor will get this one last chance to do the right thing by the citizens of the commonwealth,” he said.
When he vetoed last year’s bill, Youngkin said “the proposed legalization of retail marijuana in the Commonwealth endangers Virginians’ health and safety.”
He said states that set up legal retail markets have seen children’s and teenagers’ health suffer, adding that Colorado, Massachusetts, Ohio and Washington state reported more cannabis-related calls to poison centers and more emergency room visits for cannabis consumption.
States that legalized retail sales also saw more gang activity and violent crime, plus more mental health challenges, and roads became more dangerous, Youngkin said.
He said last year’s bill would not eliminate the illegal black-market sale of cannabis nor guarantee product safety. He said illegal sales still account for about 35% of all cannabis sales in Colorado, a decade after it launched a regulated legal market.
“Attempting to rectify the error of decriminalizing marijuana by establishing a safe and regulated marketplace is an unachievable goal,” Youngkin said.
Part of what drove the move to decriminalize marijuana was reporting in the Newport News Daily Press that Black Virginians were more likely to be jailed than whites for a first offense of possession of marijuana.
The governor said revisiting the issue of what he called enforcement discrepancies is a more prudent approach to concerns about marijuana law.
Marijuana use is at an all-time high—Here’s how it affects mental health
Marijuana use is at an all-time high—Here’s how it affects mental health
Marijuana use is at an all-time high in the United States. In the past decade alone, Americans’ reported marijuana smoking has more than doubled, increasing from 7% to 13% from 2013 to 2023, according to a national poll from Gallup. And, a separate study found that half of adults (50%) now say they have tried marijuana at some point in their lives. The reported increase in marijuana use, known formally as cannabis, parallels a shift in national policy. The U.S., historically known for its racially motivated “War on Drugs,” has now seen marijuana legalized for medical or recreational purposes in three-quarters (38) of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Roughly half of those states (24) and D.C. have legalized recreational use alone for adults aged 21 and older.Despite these shifts in reported use and policy, experts remain largely in the dark about the effects of occasional marijuana use, a result of contested federal restrictions on research. A larger body of research, though, reveals concerns about the effects of heavy, long-term marijuana use — especially on young people’s mental health. Data shows that young people who use marijuana weekly or more double their risk of developing depression and anxiety, and cannabis use is associated with conditions like psychosis, suicide, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among young people.These findings are compounded by the fact that age greatly influences the likelihood of smoking marijuana. According to Gallup’s national poll, young people ages 18 to 34 are the most likely to report marijuana use of any age group surveyed — over a quarter (26%) report smoking marijuana. To assess how marijuana affects people’s mental health, Charlie Health looked at the numbers, including data on how cannabis use is linked to psychosis, depression, and other mental health conditions. We also offer some evidence-based tips on how to cope with marijuana-related mental health issues. Heavy cannabis use has been linked to psychosisCannabis use has been linked to long-lasting psychotic disorders, with a stronger relationship seen with higher levels of use — a metric that can vary between studies but generally refers to people who use cannabis frequently and in large quantities, significantly more than occasional or moderate users. A review of 18 studies involving over 66,000 people found that heavier cannabis users had a significantly higher risk of developing psychosis. The meta-analysis showed that the heaviest users had about 3.9 times higher risk of schizophrenia and other psychosis-related outcomes compared to non-users. However, as mentioned above, it’s important to note that multiple factors may be at play here, and the relationship between marijuana use and mental health has been found to be bi-directional. For example, data shows that rates of marijuana use are nearly twice as high among adults with a mental health condition as compared to adults without a mental health condition.The risk of psychotic disorders is greatest among young people with cannabis dependence A study of nearly 7 million people looking at data between 1972 and 2021 found that cannabis use disorder (CUD) was linked to a higher risk of schizophrenia. According to the study, the risk of developing schizophrenia associated with CUD was highest among young people overall, particularly males aged 16-20. Among males aged 16-20 with CUD, the likelihood of developing schizophrenia was 3.84 (as compared to the baseline of 1.0) — more than twice the likelihood among females with CUD of the same age range (1.81). However, both of these scores still indicate that the risk of developing schizophrenia associated with CUD was highest among young people overall compared to other age groups.
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Occasional cannabis use increases the likelihood of depression, suicidal thoughts, and academic struggles among young people
Many studies show a positive correlation between cannabis use and depression, of which chronic use further strengthens this association. This research has been substantiated by Charlie Health, too. Upon joining treatment at Charlie Health, clients who used marijuana frequently had significantly higher rates of depression on average than those who did not use marijuana, internal data shows.A study of over 68,000 adolescents found that compared to teens who didn’t use cannabis, those who used occasionally had roughly 2 to 4 times higher odds of experiencing various negative psychosocial events, including things like depression, academic struggles, involvement in risky behaviors like fighting or getting arrested, and suicidal thoughts. The risk was even greater for adolescents with CUD, who experienced the highest rates of these negative outcomes. If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, this is a mental health emergency, and you should contact the 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.Marijuana may help mental healthDespite the findings above, research related to marijuana and mental health is hotly contested. Many studies concede that social and environmental demographic factors may contribute to marijuana-related mental health outcomes and that findings may be dose-related, with research typically only applying to heavy users and people who have cannabis dependencies (as mentioned above). Also, on the flip side, some studies have shown the medical and mental health benefits of marijuana use. Cannabis has been found to help address sleep-related symptoms in people with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or chronic pain, and the substance has been found to help reduce anxiety symptoms. How to address the mental health impacts of marijuana use Addressing the mental health effects of marijuana use is, first and foremost, about addressing the underlying mental health condition. Whether you’re struggling with your relationship with cannabis use or symptoms related to cannabis use, it’s important to reach out for professional mental health support. Specifically, consider reaching out to mental health professionals who are experienced in working with substance use disorders, young people, or people looking to change their relationship with marijuana.This story was produced by Charlie Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
Charlie Health
Dave Ress (804) 649-6948
“}]] Legislators plan to confront Gov. Glenn Youngkin on another of his high-profile vetoes from 2024 – a measure to create a legal retail market for marijuana. Read More
