Virginia has taken a major step forward in its long and complex journey toward a legal retail cannabis market. On Wednesday, a newly formed joint legislative commission held its first official meeting in Richmond, setting the stage for what could become a fully regulated marijuana industry in the state by 2026.
The commission, created through House Joint Resolution 497, does not require the governor’s signature and will operate through July 1, 2028. It aims to guide Virginia’s cannabis legalization efforts with a strong focus on public safety, restorative justice, economic equity, and public health.
Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax — who introduced the resolution earlier this year — was elected chair of the commission during its inaugural session at the state Capitol. While no legislative actions were taken at the meeting, the group laid out its mission and made clear it intends to build on previously vetoed legislation to draft a new proposal for legalization by 2026, when Virginia will have a new governor.
“Our goal is to create a successful approach to cannabis that’s rooted in protecting the public, the principles of restorative justice, economic equity, and public health,” Krizek said in his opening remarks.
He added that legal cannabis in Virginia presents a unique opportunity: “The need is to regulate, control, and tax marijuana to generate significant revenue dedicated to community reinvestment, create hundreds of new, small local businesses, strengthen Virginia’s vital agricultural sector, and end the racially disparate impacts of prohibition.”
Virginia’s path to legal cannabis has been far from smooth. Although the General Assembly voted in 2021 to legalize personal possession and home cultivation of cannabis, efforts to establish a legal retail market have stalled under the administration of Governor Glenn Youngkin. Most notably, Youngkin vetoed bills that would have created a licensing and regulatory framework for cannabis sales.
The new commission is intended to serve as both a planning body and a platform for public input, allowing stakeholders across the spectrum to help shape a comprehensive, bipartisan policy.
As political leadership shifts and public opinion continues to favor cannabis reform, Virginia’s lawmakers are hoping this renewed effort will finally bring clarity, regulation, and opportunity to the state’s cannabis landscape. The work of the commission over the next three years will be crucial in determining how — and how soon — Virginia launches its legal retail cannabis market.
