VA Governor Spanberger asks lawmakers to delay retail cannabis market launch

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is asking lawmakers to delay the launch of a regulated retail cannabis market until July 2027. The original date approved by the legislature is January, 2027. The additional 6 months would allow the state to “implement a legal market safely and curb the illicit market, according to Governor Spanberger. The proposed changes have raised concerns among reform advocates. Virginia legalized possession in 2021, but retail sales for recreational use have yet to begin. Currently, possession is legal, but to purchase, a resident must have a medical marijuana card. Virginia’s Democratic-controlled legislature, will reconvene on April 22 to consider the governor’s amendments and vetoes, and then decide whether to approve the revised plan, modify it further or reject the changes altogether.