Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has signed into law a measure that legalizes the cultivation and possession of marijuana in the commonwealth. (Did Northam make up for not holding the signing on 4/20 by calling the event a “joint” press conference? You decide.)
Earlier this month, Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize recreational weed, after Northam asked the General Assembly to speed up the timeline for the law’s implementation. Adults 21 and older will be able to possess and cultivate small amounts of weed by July 1 of this year, rather than in 2024, when the legalization bill was initially slated to go into effect.
Here’s what you need to know about Virginia’s legalization measure.
Wait, I thought weed was going to be legalized in 2024. What happened?
Back in late February, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that would make it legal to possess weed, ending criminal penalties for simple possession and expunging some cannabis-related offenses from criminal records. The measure also includes a preference for marijuana business licenses for people and communities impacted by enforcement of prohibition, defined as Virginians who have a marijuana-related conviction, have a family member with a conviction, or live in an economically distressed area. The bill was slated to take effect in 2024. [Read more at WAMU]
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