Virginia’s cannabis decriminalization policy went into effect on July 1 making it the 27th state to decriminalize simple marijuana possession.

The new law reflects recent shifts in public opinion, with 83% of Virginian voters supporting the decriminalization of cannabis, and 61% supporting the legalization of cannabis for adult personal use.

Virginia’s Board of Pharmacy awarded five cannabis processing licenses in late 2018, and three of the recipients are expected to begin dispensing cannabis products to patients within the next two months. The program remains rather narrow at the onset, even after several big improvements, but, like many other states, it should expand in the years ahead. In this review, we discuss the history and rules of the program, review the licensed operators and assess the likelihood of growth.

As we previously wrote about, Virginia enacted a law decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana earlier this year. Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of misconceptions about what that law—which became effective this week—actually means. Despite the label of a “decriminalization” law, it does not actually make possession of marijuana legal; rather, it changes possession of up to an ounce from a crime subject to arrest, jail time, and significant fines, to a civil offense that does not allow for arrest and results in a fine of only $25. The new law also removes the escalating penalties that used to be in place for multiple violations. Growing and distributing marijuana remain crimes subject to arrest and jail or prison time.

Even though Virginia has

Less than a month after Governor Northam signed the bill to legalize medical marijuana, the Virginia Board of Pharmacy voted to deny MedMen's request for an extension and rescinded their conditional license to operate a medical marijuana dispensary in Staunton. 

The Board of Pharmacy voted to move forward with a Request For Applications with the timeframe to be announced, according to Virginia NORML's website. This means medical cannabis companies can once again apply for a license in the state.

Arrests for marijuana

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has signed legislation on decriminalising marijuana possession in the state.

The new law goes into effect 1 July.

Governor Northam, a Democrat, signed two identical bills, Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 972, creating a civil penalty of no more than $25 for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, with no jail time.

Virginia House Majority Leader Charnielle Herring, who proposed the House bill, said it was a significant step to combat racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Virginia legislation to allow CBD in food products has been officially passed into law, reports the Associated Press.

According to the AP’s report, the 2018 Farm Bill made hemp and its derivatives no longer classified as controlled substances by the federal government, so the crop can be grown and distributed in most states. But under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, it is illegal to add CBD to food.

Nearly a year and a half after the U.S. legalized hemp via the 2018 Farm bill, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still hasn’t hashed out regulation regarding the use of CBD in food. 

Even without federal regulatory action, Virginia now allows CBD in food products, providing clarity in the state for a topic that is murky in federal law, at best. The 2018 Farm Bill made hemp and its derivatives no longer classified as controlled substances by the federal government, so the crop can be grown and distributed in most states. But under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, it is illegal to add CBD to food.