Work On Marijuana Legalization Results In Honors For Sen. Louise Lucas

VIRGINIA — Wednesday turned out to be a special day for Sen. L. Louise Lucas, president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, as groups honored the Portsmouth native for her years of service to the state and her work on legalizing marijuana.

The day falls on World Cannabis Day, which is marked every year on April 20 as a way to celebrate progress made on the legalization of marijuana.

Lawmakers for Marijuana Justice proclaimed Wednesday as "Louise Lucas Day" in recognition of the Democratic lawmaker’s “steadfast commitment to marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform throughout her career.”

Her work on marijuana legalization is a made her “a role model to our community of lawmakers across the country,” the group said.

Lawmakers for Marijuana Justice urged Virginians to celebrate her career and service to Virginia today by using the hashtag #LouiseLucasDay across all social media channels.

"My name is Lillie Louise Lucas, I am a 78-year-old great-grandma who legalized weed in Virginia as President Pro Temp of the VA Senate," Lucas said in a tweet Wednesday. "There’s much work left to be done but I am honored to be recognized on 4/20!"

Another group, Virginia Teen Democrats, issued a certificate of recognition declaring April 20 as "L. Louise Lucas Day.

"Lillie Louise Lucas, a native of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, and alum of Portsmouth Public Schools, rose to become [one] of Virginia's most prominent politicians as well as the first African-American woman to hold the office of President pro-tempore of the Senate of Virginia," the proclamation reads.

A member of the Senate since 1992, Lucas co-owns a cannabis shop in Portsmouth that sells CBD products.

The General Assembly voted in 2021 to allow people to possess and grow marijuana. The Senate version of the bill, which former Gov. Ralph Northam signed into law, was sponsored by Lucas.

But lawmakers have so far been unable to agree on legalized recreational sales. Currently, the only legal way to obtain marijuana in Virginia is to grow it, get it as a gift, or buy it from a medical dispensary with a prescription.

Despite the legislative hurdles to allowing the recreational sale of marijuana in Virginia, legalization advocates praised Lucas's work.

"We thank Senator Lucas again for her tireless and continued service to legalization and marijuana justice," Lawmakers for Marijuana Justice said Wednesday.