Virginia Has Legalized Weed

Virginia legislators have approved a bill that will see the sale and use of recreational marijuana for adults in 2024.

Virginia has joined the growing list of U.S. states that have legalized cannabis, making it the 16th state to do so…almost.

The bill which has been approved by both the House and Senate would legalize the use and sale of recreational cannabis by adults, but not until 2024.

Under the passed legislation, adults will be allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana as of the first of January, 2024, with a regulated, legal marijuana market coming into effect on the same day.

The legalization effort follows the decriminalization of cannabis in Virginia last year, which reduced the penalty for marijuana possession to a maximum fine of $25.

As we’ve discussed previously, decriminalization often precedes cannabis legalization, and so in this instance, Virginia’s legalization shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to those paying attention to the industry.

The House passed the marijuana legalization effort in a 48–43 vote, and the Senate, more narrowly passed it with a 20–19 vote. However, the bill did not receive bipartisan support, as zero Republicans supported the effort.