Today, legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales was officially delivered to Governor Glenn Youngkin.
In February Virginia lawmakers passed legislation to legalize the licensed distribution of recreational marijuana, with sales beginning May 1, 2025. Today, the measure was delivered to Governor Youngkin, who now faces an April 8 deadline to decide how he’s going to approach the measure. Governor Youngkin has the option of signing it into law, vetoing it, or allowing it to become law on April 9 without a signature.
Under the proposed law, those 21 and older would be allowed to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of dried marijuana per transaction from a licensed marijuana store. They could also purchase up to 100mg of THC in edible form.
If the legislation is enacted into law, licensing and regulations for the marijuana industry would be overseen by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. Localities would be allowed to ban marijuana stores, but only if approved by voters
Recent remarks from Governor Youngkin and the bill’s prime sponsor Delegate Pail Krizek (D) indicate that the bill is likely to be vetoed by Governor Youngkin, who has long opposed legalizing marijuana. If Youngkin does veto the bill, there is not enough support to override a veto (which requires a 2/3rds majority).
“Bluntly, you want to talk about putting a cannabis shop on every corner?” Youngkin said at a recent press conference. “I don’t quite get it.”
Delegate Krizek recently said “As those great philosophers Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin would say, ‘It’s up in smoke”.
Virginia legalized marijuana possession, but not sales, in 2021.
