Denied: Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger Vetoes Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Bill
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger Vetoes Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Bill
Plans for Virginia to have a legal cannabis retail market have gone up in smoke as Governor Abigail Spanberg decided to veto the bill that would’ve allowed for stores.
In a statement, Gov. Spanberg explained the decision
“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,” Spanberger said. “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.”
This is the second time that Virginia has come close.
Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a similar plan to create the legalized marketplace. Democrats in Virginia anticipated Spanberger would sign it.
Last Prisoner Project executive director Stephanie Shepard released this statement in response to Spanberg’s veto.
“Governor Spanberger’s veto of adult-use cannabis sales legislation is a serious mistake. It does not make sense for Virginia to recognize the harms of cannabis prohibition by signing marijuana resentencing into law while continuing to block a regulated market for the same substance. Without legal adult-use sales, consumers remain unprotected, small businesses are left waiting, and communities most impacted by prohibition are denied a fair opportunity to participate in the legal cannabis economy.
“We are deeply grateful that Governor Spanberger signed SB 62/HB 26 and gave people serving outdated cannabis sentences a real chance at justice. But Virginia should also have a legal, regulated market that reflects the same commitment to fairness.”
If passed, lawmakers expected the retail market to open Jan. 1, with oversight from the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. Anyone who is 21 or older would be able to buy marijuana, and there would be 350 retail stores statewide.
Source: WTOP
