Virginia is the first state in the South to legalize cannabis. Lawmakers passed a marijuana legalization bill on Wednesday, making the state the first in the South to legalize cannabis.
By law, adults 21 and older are allowed to use and grow marijuana from July. The state will also launch a legal, regulated market. This is expected to happen in 2024.
Marijuana excise duty
Proceeds from the new marijuana tax will go to education programs, equity initiatives, addiction treatment and public health services. The legislation came after a controversial but relatively rapid legislative process. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) publicly supported the legalization of marijuana in November.
The Virginia House and Senate passed bills in February that would legalize marijuana. Northam responded approvingly, but with changes to the law. The legislature then approved the changes, allowing the legislation to go into effect without further action from Northam.
Virginia already allowed the use of marijuana for medical purposes, starting with a 2015 law that has expanded over time. The new law extends legalization to recreational and other non-medical uses. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
With newcomer Virginia, 16 states and Washington DC have now legalized recreational marijuana, although recreational sales are not allowed in DC. (Voters in South Dakota approved a voting initiative to legalize cannabis in November, but the future of that measure is uncertain due to legal battles.)
Proponents and opponents of cannabis legalization
Advocates of legalization claim it eliminates the drawbacks of the marijuana ban: the hundreds of thousands of arrests in the VS, the racial differences behind those arrests and the billions of dollars made from illegal cannabis on the black market and into the hands of drug cartels. All of this, advocates of legalization say, will outweigh the potential drawbacks - such as increased cannabis use - that can come with legalization.
Opponents, meanwhile, argue that legalization is creating a massive marijuana industry with tons of providers. They point to America's experiences, particularly the alcohol and tobacco industries. And they argue that ending the ban could lead to many more people using marijuana, potentially leading to unforeseen negative health consequences.
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