Spanberger Vetoes Retail Cannabis Plan For VA

Virginia’s governor on Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have established a retail marketplace for cannabis products in the commonwealth.

The legislation was put forth to set up a framework for the creation of the commonwealth’s marijuana market under the administration of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, but the governor’s office argued in a news release that the twin bills, House Bill 642 and Senate Bill 542, were put forth “without the timeline, structure, or resources to be successfully implemented.”

“I share the General Assembly’s goal of establishing a safe, legal, and well-regulated cannabis retail marketplace in the Commonwealth,” Spanberger said in the news release.

“As Virginia pursues a legal retail market, it is critical that we incorporate lessons learned by other states and ensure that our regulatory framework is fully prepared to provide strong oversight from day one. That includes clear enforcement authority and sufficient resources for compliance, testing, and inspections, and robust tools to crack down on bad actors who continue to profit from the illicit market.”

The veto comes after the governor last month put forth amendments she said would strengthen provisions in the legislation and proposed the commonwealth’s cannabis marketplace not open until July 1, 2027, to allow time to implement it safely.

Her proposals were rejected by the General Assembly, The Washington Post reported.

Virginia legalized cannabis five years ago, but has yet to establish the legal framework for its retail market.

Marijuana Injustice, in a Facebook post Tuesday, argued the veto “keeps the Commonwealth stuck in a failed middle ground where possession is legal, but there is still no lawful retail system for adults.”

Bill patrons Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Henrico, and Delegate Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax, issued a joint statement Tuesday in response to the veto.

“Virginians deserve better than continued inaction veiled behind excuses about getting it right,” Aird said in the statement.