Virginia’s legislature makes it an annual ritual to approve the sale of recreational marijuana, but then faces a veto by its anti-cannabis Governor.
House Bills 2485 and 970 would legalize marijuana for adults in Virginia, the third such time since the year 2021. But the Republican governor is likely to block the measure. Glenn Youngkin, Virginia Mercury reported. Youngkin vetoed a similar measure in 2024.
Youngkin is opposed to the legalization of marijuana, even though some conservatives have crossed the aisle and joined with Democrats to approve the House measure.
Virginia’s cannabis market is in flux since nearly four years. In 2021, Democratic legislators approved a wide-ranging legalization plan, shortly before losing the governorship that year. The legislation passed by the Democratic lawmakers included a clause that required the passage of a brand new bill to create a fully functional recreational market. Without this, possession, consumption, and personal use were all legalized but not a market.
This has led to the emergence of a vibrant gray market, where marijuana and hemp growers compete with medical marijuana businesses licensed by state governments.
Youngkin’s veto of repeated bills has led to an endless cycle in which Capitol Democrats approve the same bill over and over again, while he only says he wants to crack down on the rapidly growing hemp market. He has not expressed any interest in supporting cannabis in general.
In the past, lawmakers have predicted that the recreational marijuana market in California won’t be launched until 2027. However, a newly elected governor could open the door to a legislative solution for the cannabis problem by 2026, followed by a successful market launch the following year.