Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday vetoed a bill that would have authorized a new state-licensed recreational marijuana market, marking the second year in a row that Youngkin has killed an attempt by lawmakers to get a comprehensive adult-use cannabis industry in place.
The measure, House Bill 2485, was approved by the legislature last month. The bill would have created a new state agency called the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to oversee business licensing and regulations.
Virginia’s legislature approved recreational marijuana possession and consumption for adults in 2021. The problem was that the legislature at the time also included a “re-enactment clause” in the legalization bill, which meant that a future legislative session and governor would have to pass a second bill to approve state-legal marijuana production and sales statewide.
Youngkin, who was elected in November 2022, has remained a steadfast opponent of standing up a new recreational marijuana market. The governor has said repeatedly he believes doing so would only make Virginia “less safe,” a reference he made once more on Tuesday in a broad statement about the 157 bills he vetoed this year.
State Del. Paul Krizek, who sponsored HB 2485, said in a statement that the veto would let “an already thriving illegal cannabis market to persist, fueling criminal activity and endangering our communities.”
Virginia NORML was also critical of the move, saying it illustrates how out of touch with voters Youngkin is, given that 60% of state voters support legalizing recreational marijuana.
“Once again, Gov. Youngkin has prioritized his personal politics over public safety, opting to keep control of Virginia’s marijuana market squarely in the hands of unregulated operators,” Virginia NORML Executive Director JM Pedini said in a statement.
“This common-sense legislation would have taken marijuana out of corner stores and smoke shops and legalized access only for those age 21 and older in licensed dispensaries. Instead, these vetoes put at risk the health and safety of adult consumers and children alike, and provide protections to no one but the illicit market that has ballooned during his time in office,” Pedini said.
Pedini also noted that Youngkin returned a medical marijuana bill to the legislature with proposed amendments that, according to Pedini, would “greatly diminish patient access by severely restricting the medical cannabis program’s direct-to-patient delivery process.”
The decision by the governor has had significant business ramifications the past few years, as industry insiders have said the intoxicating hemp and the underground marijuana markets have both flourished in the absence of licensed recreational cannabis sales for adult consumers. The intoxicating hemp trade has also been targeted by the Youngkin administration, as the governor has taken a general anti-cannabis stance during his term.
As a result, legal marijuana sales are unlikely to begin at dispensaries until 2027, after Youngkin leaves office, some lawmakers have said for more than a year.
Youngkin also returned a medical marijuana bill to the legislature with proposed amendments that “severely restrict” that industry. Read More
