Sponsored by

VGoodiez 420EDC
  • Welcome to VaporAsylum! Please take a moment to read our RULES and introduce yourself here.
  • Need help navigating the forum? Find out how to use our features here.
  • Did you know we have lots of smilies for you to use?

Law Virginia

General Assembly Snuffs Marijuana Legalization Hopes for Now


RICHMOND Va. (WHSV) — Going into the 2020 legislative session, advocates say Democratic leaders had an ambitious marijuana reform agenda. By crossover day, several decriminalization bills passed their respective chambers, but hopes of legalization went up in smoke. Lawmakers, who say that the state isn’t ready for legalization yet, advanced decriminalization bills, incorporated a bulk of the measures and continued legalization measures to 2021.


House Bill 972, introduced by House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, will decriminalize simple possession of marijuana, replacing the current punishment of a maximum $500 fine and 30 days in jail with a $25 maximum fine and no criminal charges or jail
time. Substance abuse screening and loss of driving privileges for marijuana possession would be enacted for juveniles. Opponents say the bill unfairly punishes juveniles more than adults.


Herring’s bill incorporates three other decriminalization and possession bills. Police would handle the possession charge much like a summons for motor vehicle law violations, and no court costs would be incurred. The bill also mandates that previous simple possession convictions, charges and arrest records would be sealed.


“To legalize it now would not be good, but this hopefully would take us one step closer to reducing the arrest and jailing of people for simple possession,” Herring said during the third reading of the bill. The legislation passed with a 64-34 vote, garnering Republican support.


Senate Bill 2, introduced by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, also passed this week.


Ebbin’s bill would decriminalize simple possession, providing a penalty of no more than $50 or five hours of community service.


SB 1015, sponsored by Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax, would allow a person prescribed cannabidiol oil to avoid possession charges passed the Senate and is currently in a House committee.


The Senate also approved a study to explore how Virginia should go about legalizing and regulating the growth, sale and possession of marijuana by July 1, 2022.


Advocates were most disappointed by the measures continued to the 2021 session. HB 87 and HB 269 proposed eliminating penalties for marijuana possession for persons over the age of 21 and decriminalizing for people under age 21. Those bills also tackled the regulation of marijuana retail.


Chelsea Higgs Wise, co-founder and executive director of Marijuana Justice, is disappointed that the General Assembly only advanced decriminalization measures, wishing that they had opted instead for HB 1507, which would make it illegal to possess a controlled substance other than marijuana unless the substance was prescribed. That bill, introduced by Del.
Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, was continued to the 2021 session.


Higgs Wise believes that arrests may decrease, but people of color will continue to disproportionately suffer from penalties and fines.


“We know that these penalties will be enforced more heavily on black and brown people and looking across the nation, decriminalization has only called for an increase in racial disparities,” Higgs Wise said.


Herring said her bill will not eliminate racial disparities surrounding marijuana. The bill aims to prevent low-level offenders from receiving jail time for simple possession as the commonwealth moves toward legalization.


“This is an important step in improving the criminal justice system,” Herring said in a statement released after the bill passed. “While marijuana arrests across the nation have decreased, arrests in Virginia have increased.”


The Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has frequently spoken out against decriminalization measures, saying that communities of color across the commonwealth are more than three times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people, despite similar usage rates.


“Lawmakers cannot claim progress on marijuana reform while still knowing that this legislation will only lead to greater racial disparities,” said Ashna Khanna, legislative director of the state chapter.


Decriminalization has gained traction in the commonwealth since Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring voiced their support. Northam’s criminal justice reform included a proposal to clear the records of individuals previously convicted of simple marijuana possession.


According to the state attorney general’s office, arrests for marijuana possession have increased from 9,000 in 1999 to 29,000 in 2018, with marijuana criminal enforcement costing the commonwealth over $81 million every year.


Attorney General Mark Herring believes that passing decriminalization bills is an important first step to moving Virginia toward legalized and regulated use.


“We must keep going because the work is not done,” the attorney general said in a statement after the bills advanced. “For too long, Virginia’s approach to cannabis has needlessly saddled Virginians, especially African Americans and people of color, with criminal records but with these votes that is finally coming to an end.”


The ACLU and Marijuana Justice have a rally planned Saturday afternoon to protest the marijuana decriminalization bills. The groups continue to promote legislation that would remove penalties for marijuana possession.
 
Virginia lawmakers vote to decriminalize marijuana, set $25 civil penalty for possession

Possession of small amounts of marijuana will no longer be punishable by jail time in Virginia under decriminalization legislation lawmakers sent to Gov. Ralph Northam on Sunday.

“This means close to 30,000 people a year will no longer be labeled as criminals and no longer will suffer the negative repercussions of a criminal conviction,” said Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, who carried the legislation in the Senate.

Similar to a traffic ticket

Under the legislation lawmakers passed, the drug will remain illegal, but violations of the law will be treated like minor traffic violations. The bill sets a $25 civil fine for possession of up to an ounce of the plant or products derived from it, including hash and oil concentrates. The legislation also seals records of past and future convictions and prohibits employers and educational institutes from inquiring about violations, with exceptions for law enforcement agencies.

Currently, possession of a half-ounce or less is punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. Possession of hash and other concentrates is punished as a felony. And while hefty fines and driver’s license suspensions are more common in practice than jail time, a point-in-time count in July 2017 found 127 people were being held in jail solely on a marijuana charge, according to a State Crime Commission report.

The decriminalization bill won bipartisan support in both chambers, passing the House on a 56-36 vote and the Senate 27-12.

If Gov. Ralph Northam, who has endorsed an earlier iteration of the legislation, agrees to the final bill, it will go into effect July 1, making Virginia the 26th state to either decriminalize the drug or legalize recreational adult use.
 
"Edibles, capsules, tinctures, topicals, and suppositories containing up to 10 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)"

IMO, VA continues to have a Potemkin Village version of a MMJ program.

Virginia Lawmakers Amend Cannabis Laws Anticipating a Safe and Profitable Industry


Medical cannabis will finally be available for sale in Virginia. What you need to know about the new laws, how to become a registered patient, how it could impact the economy, while debunking some of the myths and stigmas preventing federal legalization.
Lawmakers in the Commonwealth set an historic record, working overtime throughout the weekend of early March to close-out the 2020 legislative session. From increasing the minimum wage, bolstering LGBT protections, to ratifying equal rights for women, elected officials are implementing the policies Virginians voted for. A plethora of progressive bills have been sent to Governor Ralph Northam’s desk for his signature, including much-anticipated, bipartisan-supported cannabis reform.
Since Democrats gained control of the General Assembly last November, cannabis legislation has rapidly advanced. The passage of Senate Bill 2, which addresses decriminalization, has advocates rejoicing. The new measure reduces the state’s draconian criminal penalties for possession.
Currently, first-time offenders can be charged with a maximum fine of $500, and even sentenced to 30 days in jail. The new law, which goes into effect July 1, reduces the penalty to a civil offense – treated like a traffic violation – with a fine of $25 for possession of up to half an ounce. Civil charges won’t appear on records, and former convictions will be sealed. If patients or caregivers are stopped by law enforcement or must appear in court before July 1, they can show proof of “affirmative defense” with a VA medical cannabis card, obtained from the Virginia Board of Pharmacy. A recommendation for medical cannabis can be obtained from one of Virginia’s Board of Pharmacy-registered practitioners. Affirmative defense serves as legal proof that a certified practitioner has recommended cannabis to treat a patient’s medical condition. Additionally, it applies to pharmaceutical staff and caretakers, since nursing home and assisted care patients will be able to medicate with cannabis.
In February 2018, Governor Northam, who happens to be a physician, approved the Let Doctors Decide bill, after the Virginia Senate Education and Health Committee unanimously approved bipartisan-drafted legislation. Senator Siobhan Dunnavant (R-SD12), who introduced the companion bill SB 726, stated, “I finally decided that I needed to advocate for the physicians being the decision makers. We, physicians, are the ones that follow the literature and know which treatments are best for different conditions. The literature on medical cannabis is going to be evolving rapidly now, and because of this, it is not a decision that should be in the hands of the legislature. Instead, it should be with physicians.”
Around the same time SB 726 passed, the Virginia Board of Pharmacy approved five medical cannabis dispensaries to operate as “pharmaceutical operators.” Sales in Virginia are expected to boom, filling the economic void from the Commonwealth’s dwindling tobacco industry. Illinois kicked off the new year by legalizing recreational cannabis, and raked in profits of nearly $3.2M the first day.
Dispensaries are scheduled to open mid-year in Bristol, Richmond, Portsmouth, Staunton, and Manassas. Dalitso, LLC, a multi-state cannabis processor, will grow, sell, and regulate medical cannabis in a 50,000-square-foot facility in Manassas. Last September, Aaron Lopez, Dalitso’s spokesperson, met to address safety questions from the community at an event hosted by The Prevention Alliance of Greater Prince William.
Fielding questions from a group gathered in Novant Health UVA Prince William Medical Center, Lopez was joined by Jenn Michelle Pedini, development director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), and executive director of Virginia NORML. Lopez, a Virginia resident, explained how the company came together by a local group of like-minded professionals advocating for common sense cannabis reform. Lopez and Pedini fielded questions, explaining how cannabis will be safely processed and regulated, strictly abiding by State regulations. Dalitso will participate in monthly regulatory audits by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy. Products will be tested on-site, and by a third-party lab, to ensure they are contaminant-free. “That’s the main goal of this company, to make sure that it’s provided in a safe, effective and efficient way,” Lopez said.
Under the trade name Beyond-Hello, Dalitso will feature a storefront scheduled to open this summer. Beyond-Hello will offer delivery service to Virginia Board Pharmacy-registered patients in Health Service Area II, which includes Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington and Fairfax counties and the cities of Falls Church, Fairfax City, Manassas, Manassas Park and Alexandria.
Edibles, capsules, tinctures, topicals, and suppositories containing up to 10 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are among Beyond-Hello’s vast variety of medicinal products. State-registered staff can offer cultivar suggestions depending on a patient’s diagnoses, and patients can order up to a 90-day supply. Certain health conditions include, but are not limited to:
  • Chronic pain
  • Cancer
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Severe Nausea
  • Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
  • Glaucoma
  • Neuropathic pain disorders
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Terminal illness
  • Spasticity
  • Muscle spasms
  • Anorexia and bulimia
  • Inflammation
  • Cachexia and wasting syndrome
Despite the recent advancement of cannabis reform, the Virginia ACLU argues that decriminalization doesn’t go far enough, and advocate for full cannabis legalization. The civil liberties union has written extensively about the racial disparity of cannabis-related arrests. A black person is 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession, while both black and white people use cannabis at similar rates. Around the time neighboring Maryland and DC opened dispensaries, Virginia cannabis possession arrests skyrocketed to the highest level in 20 years. In 2018, Virginia prosecuted close to 30,000 residents for cannabis possession. Roughly half of those arrested for first-time-possession charges are black, yet black people make-up only 20-percent of Virginia’s population. Virginia spends over $100M a year on cannabis-related law enforcement.
Recent statistics show two-thirds of Americans support cannabis decriminalization. And more than three-quarters of Virginia’s population approves of adult-use, medical cannabis. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring responded by taking action.
Ahead of the 2020 legislative session, Herring spoke at the first-ever Cannabis Summit in Richmond last December. In his opening remarks, Herring stated:
“I don’t believe that Virginia’s current approach of criminalizing cannabis is working. It is needlessly creating criminals and burdening Virginians with convictions.” He continued, “The human and social costs are enormous, in addition to the millions of dollars it costs Virginia taxpayers. And the negative consequences of the current approach fall disproportionately on African Americans and people of color. It’s clear to me that the time for cannabis reform has come. Justice demands it. Virginians are demanding it. And I’m going to help make sure we get this right.”
The summit was coordinated by House Chair Steve Heretick (D-79) and Senate Chair Dave Marsden (D-37) who comprise Virginia’s newly formed Cannabis Control Commission. Hearing from policy makers, regulators, law enforcement, and other stakeholders, Virginia legislators learned about safe, successful medical cannabis programs in California, Illinois and Massachusetts.



Senator Marsden remarked:
“This effort will include a more robust medical cannabis program and Attorney General Herring’s summit is a big step in ensuring we are knowledgeable on the issue and prepared to do this right. There are better, smarter ways to handle cannabis policy. Virginia is ready for evidence-based reform and that is what we will provide.”
But it’s a tricky system, as cannabis is technically not legal in Virginia. Nor is it legal federally. So Virginia falls into the same legal limbo as the growing number of states and the District of Columbia who have expanded regulation of cannabis for adult use. So, until full legalization is passed, Virginians run the risk purchasing cannabis. Some may ask why anyone would take that chance, wondering if medical cannabis is worth it.
The story of a little girl named Charlotte Figi inspired Dr. Sanjay Gupta to do a complete 180 on cannabis. In 2009, Gupta wrote a blistering anti-cannabis article for Time titled, “Why I would Vote No on Pot”, which has since been retracted. Gupta initially argued that cannabis offers no medicinal value and should remain a Schedule 1 narcotic. By 2013, after a handful of states decriminalized cannabis, Gupta dedicated a year to traveling the world, researching the plant, starting with a trip to Colorado to meet Charlotte. He ultimately submitted an apology as part of a pro-cannabis documentary series titled, Weed for CNN.
Charlotte Figi was just three months old when she began suffering from uncontrollable seizures that lasted for three to four hours at a time. The first episode had her parents Matt and Paige rushing her to their local emergency room. The infant went through a series of MRI’s, neurological tests, and a spinal tap. The results were shocking. Charlotte’s blood results and images showed she was fine. The doctors were perplexed, and suggested Charlotte may grow out of it.
A week later, Charlotte’s eyes began fluttering to the back of her head again, and her body seized uncontrollably. The seizures became more frequent and lasted for longer durations. Charlotte’s ER visits increased, and she was placed on seven medications, including heavy-duty, addictive barbiturates and benzodiazepines. The relief from the drugs was only temporary, and her seizures were becoming more severe. At two, she began declining cognitively.
When Charlotte was two and a half, Matt and Paige took her to Children’s Hospital Colorado. A neurologist tested Charlotte for the SCN1A gene mutation, which is 80- percent common in Dravet Syndrome cases. The results confirmed what the ER doctors originally suspected, and Charlotte tested positive for the rare form of epilepsy. Paige and Matt were relieved they finally had a diagnosis and began an aggressive search for treatment.
But nothing was making Charlotte healthy. Matt had been a Green Beret at the time and decided to leave the military. Paige was juggling their two other children while Charlotte’s ER visits became more frequent, and days in the intensive care unit grew into weeks. The Figis traveled to Chicago to seek a Dravet specialist, who put Charlotte on a ketogenic diet specifically designed for epilepsy patients. When the body produces ketones, seizures are minimized. The diet stopped the seizures, but Charlotte’s immune system declined, causing her bone loss and a host of behavioral issues. The diet only worked for two years. Charlottes’ seizures came back.
The five-year-old began suffering 300 grand mal seizures a week. She was back in the hospital so often, her parents signed a “do not resuscitate” order. Charlotte’s heart had stopped several times, with her parents having to administer CPR waiting for the ambulance. The doctors even considered putting her in a medically induced coma, to end her lifelong suffering. The doctors admitted there was no more they could do. And then Matt discovered an online video that changed their family’s lives forever.
During Matt’s extensive online searches for other cases similar to Charlotte’s, he discovered a video of a California boy with Dravets. The video explained that cannabis was effective in stopping the boy’s seizures, without causing any negative medical, cognitive, or developmental side effects. The boy experienced no psychoactive reaction from the cannabis. It worked like magic. But the thought of a five-year-old experimenting with cannabis was unheard of.
Luckily for Charlotte, Colorado had passed Amendment 20 in the 2000 election, requiring the state to set-up a medical cannabis program. But Matt and Paige were in unchartered territory. Even though epilepsy is one of several medical ailments treatable with cannabis, scientists agree that until more research concludes otherwise, patients under 21 should not consume cannabis with high levels of THC.
An oil derived from the Cannabis Ruderalis-4 cultivar, similar to hemp, contains very low levels of THC, but is enriched with CBD. It was the very cultivar that stopped the California boy’s seizures. Matt and Paige knew Charlotte would be a Guinea pig candidate for this type of experiment. But they understood this was their only option. Naturally, it was an uphill battle to get Charlotte registered as a patient. It was 2011, a little over a decade after Colorado became one of the few pioneer states to sell cannabis, regulating an industry that was still growing its legs.
Paige admitted she was terrified to break federal law. She had consistently voted against marijuana legalization. But she paid $800 for two ounces of R4-cannabis, and her friend was able to process the CBD oil. They initially administered a small drop into Charlotte’s mouth. For the first hour, Charlotte went from having three or four seizures to none. Matt and Paige were stunned. They dosed her again, and the results were astounding. Charlotte had gone a full week from having a single seizure.
Charlotte’s life changed forever that day. She began to thrive physically. Within a year, she was able to walk again, feed herself, and even ride a bicycle. She receives two doses of CBD a day, which is mixed into her food. Her seizures occur only a few times a month, mostly while she sleeps. She became one of the handful of patients under 18 to receive a medical cannabis card. Cannabis saved Charlotte’s life, and her story saved the lives of other children struggling with epilepsy.
The Figi family learned about six brothers operating one of Colorado’s largest medical cannabis dispensaries, experimenting with various hybrid cultivars. One of which was the same R4-cultivar that changed the lives of Charlotte and the little boy in California. But due to the cultivar’s low THC levels, the Stanley brothers weren’t making much profit, since the majority of patients are adults seeking high percentages of THC. When they learned about Charlotte’s success story, the brothers worked together with the Figis and established the Realm of Caring Foundation, a non-profit charity that donates to patients fighting epilepsy, cancer, Parkinson’s, and a host of other costly diseases for patients who can’t afford treatment. The Stanley brothers named the R4-cultivar “Charlotte’s Web”.
For decades, advocates have debunked cannabis misconceptions and stigmas, providing lawmakers with evidence proving cannabis is a far safer alternative to prescription opioids. It’s been a challenge, particularly since the pharmaceutical industry remains the top political influencer in Washington. It didn’t help that pharmaceutical executives lied to the very same politicians they lobbied, claiming opioids are not addictive. By the early 2000’s, doctors’ offices were plastered with Purdue Pharmaceutical promotional posters, post-its and prescription pads. Pharmacies were doling out pills like candy.
Opioid addiction became a national crisis. In 2018, opioids claimed the lives of 67,300 Americans. Yet Big Pharma still profits more than any other industry. Opioid deaths in Virginia soared.
opioiddeathsva.jpg
Number of overdose deaths involving opioids in Virginia, by opioid category. Drug categories presented are not mutually exclusive, and deaths might have involved more than one substance Source: CDC WONDER.
“Medical cannabis laws have demonstrated significant impact on the opiate crisis,” said Virginia NORML’s Jenn Michelle Pedini, a two-time cancer survivor, themselves. “States with such laws see on average a 25-percent reduction in opioid fatalities. We are losing three Virginians every day to opioid overdose. It’s time to give doctors in the Commonwealth the ability to utilize this powerful tool in mitigating addiction and overdose.”
Cannabis growers continue to experiment, combining genetics to develop unique hybrid cultivars. Researchers track cannabis development from seed to sale, finding more ways to treat a variety of diseases and ailments. Pharmaceutical Processors in Virginia will soon be able to recommend one of over 700 different cultivars of cannabis that combat a variety of medical and neurological diagnoses.
Virginians can learn more about medical cannabis, find a certified physician, register for a medical card, and receive up-to-date news on State legislation by visiting Virginia NORML’s website.
 
I almost refused to post this article as its pure propaganda. While these VA politicians pat themselves on the back and issue misleading press releases, WE KNOW that any thing that is limited to "Edibles, capsules, tinctures, topicals, and suppositories containing up to 10 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)" is not a legalized medical program.

Well, I guess I can stuff 5 or 10 suppositories up the ole' bung hole and get a buzz....maybe?? haha


Virginia: Governor Approves Bills to Decriminalize Marijuana and Legalize Medical Cannabis

Democratic Governor Ralph Northam has approved legislation (Senate Bill 2 | House Bill 972) decriminalizing marijuana possession offenses. Northam also recommended technical amendments which must be approved by the legislature before the new law takes effect July 1, 2020.

The law reduces penalties for offenses involving the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana to a civil violation – punishable by a maximum $25 fine, no arrest, and no criminal record.

Under current law, minor marijuana possession offenses are classified as criminal misdemeanors, punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a criminal record, and the possible loss of driving privileges. According to data from the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, more than 15,000 people were convicted for a first or second marijuana possession offense from July 2018 to June 2019.

“Virginians have long opposed the criminalization of personal marijuana possession, and Governor Northam’s signature turns that public opinion into public policy,” said NORML Development Director Jenn Michelle Pedini, who also serves as the executive director of the state affiliate, Virginia NORML.

The new law also seals the criminal records of past marijuana offenders from employers and school administrators, and defines substances previously considered hashish as marijuana.

The bipartisan, bicameral effort to amend the state’s marijuana possession penalties was led by Senator Adam Ebbin (D-30) and House Majority Leader Delegate Charniele Herring (D-46). Commenting on the bills’ final passage, Sen. Ebbin said, “This is a major step forward for criminal justice reform in Virginia. The prohibition on marijuana has clearly failed, and impacts nearly 30,000 Virginians per year. It’s well past time that we stop doing damage to people’s employment prospects, educational opportunities, and parental rights.

Delegate Herring added: “[This] is an important step in mitigating racial disparities in the criminal justice system. While marijuana arrests across the nation have decreased, arrests in Virginia have increased. This bill will not eliminate the racial disparities surrounding marijuana, but it will prevent low-level offenders from receiving jail time for simple possession while we move toward legalization in coming years with a framework that addresses both public safety and equity in an emerging market.”
Governor Northam had previously gone on record in support of decriminalizing marijuana violations and expunging past convictions, as has Attorney General Mark Herring. “Decriminalization is an important first step on Virginia’s path towards legal, regulated adult use, and one many thought was still years away, but we cannot stop now. We’ve shown that smart, progressive reform is possible and we must keep going,” General Herring told Virginia NORML.

In March, the General Assembly approved multiple bills calling on officials to further study marijuana legalization and to make recommendations to lawmakers in advance of the 2021 legislative session.

In addition to approving marijuana decriminalization, Gov. Northam also signed Senate Bill 1015, which states that no person may be arrested, prosecuted, or denied any right or privilege for participating in the state’s medical cannabis program. The program is expected to be operational and dispensing cannabis products to authorized patients by mid-year. Northam also approved Senate Bill 976 expanding and improving this program, and suggested technical amendments which must be approved by the legislature before taking effect on July 1.

“As legislators became more comfortable with medical cannabis products, they recognized that patients and legal guardians of children and incapacitated adults need the protections of lawful possession instead of the affirmative defense. That is what SB 1015 provides — a statutory protection against prosecution, not merely an affirmative defense,” remarked Senator Dave Marsden (D-37), longtime champion of medical cannabis patients in the Commonwealth.

Added NORML’s Jenn Michelle Pedini: “Later this year, Virginia patients will finally have access to medical cannabis products and explicit legal protections thanks to Senator Marsden’s legislation. Additional dispensing facilities, telemedicine, and program registration for nonresidents are among some of the many legislative improvements we were able to accomplish this year.”

In total, sixteen marijuana-related bills succeeded in the 2020 Virginia General Assembly.
 
Virginia’s Marijuana Decriminalization: What It Means And How It Works

It’s not the same thing as legalization, but Democrats say it’s a step on the way.

Marijuana has been an issue for Virginia’s General Assembly for decades, going back as far as 1979 when the state became one of the first to legalize medical use of marijuana. (It was later repealed.) But this year, history was made when Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill decriminalizing simple possession of marijuana in the commonwealth into law, fulfilling a promise stemming back to his 2017 campaign.

But why is this act so groundbreaking? What is the difference between decriminalization and legalization? And what does this mean for the future of marijuana in Virginia? We are here to explain all the ins and outs of Virginia’s new policies on marijuana.

Decriminalization vs. Legalization

Marijuana is not technically legal in Virginia yet, it has only been decriminalized. But many advocates make the argument that decriminalizing the drug is the important first step on the road to legalization.

“Decriminalization is an incredibly important first step, and one that many thought we may never see in Virginia, but we cannot stop until we have legal and regulated adult use,” Attorney General Mark Herring said in a statement.

The newly passed bill gets rid of the $500 penalty and criminal charges you previously got for possessing a small amount of marijuana. Instead, possession of an ounce of weed or less is treated carries a $25 fine and will not carry criminal charges.

The bill also does the following:

-Provides any violation to be charged in the same summons as a traffic violation

-Makes records relating to past possession of marijuana closed to public inspection

-Prohibits employers or educational institutions from requiring someone to disclose information on a past marijuana-related arrest, criminal charge or conviction

Why is This Important?

Advocates argue that decriminalizing is necessary due to the racial disparities around who gets arrested for possession. According to a 2020 study by the American Civil Liberties Union, African Americans are almost four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession.

“In every single state, Black people were more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession, and in some states, Black people were up to six, eight, or almost ten times more likely to be arrested,” the authors wrote.

A 2013 study from Dr. John Gettman of Shenandoah University found the marijuana possession arrest rate for black people was three times higher than white people in 47 out of Virginia’s 50 jurisdictions.

Attorney General Herring said that the state will become “a more fair, just and equal place” with the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The Future of Marijuana in Virginia

Along with decriminalization, the bill also proposed a group to study the effects of fully legalizing marijuana in the state. The deadline for the report was set for November 30, but Northam requested that it be extended by a full year due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, that request was denied by the state Senate on April 23.

The governor also proposed eliminating a defendant’s ability to request a jury trial after being cited for marijuana possession. However, this was rejected by both the House and the Senate.

“Decriminalization is a victory worth celebrating, but as we have said repeatedly, it is not a public policy solution for marijuana prohibition,” said Michelle Pedini, the executive director of marijuana legalization advocacy group Virginia NORML.

The law is scheduled to go into effect on July 1.
 
Lawmakers In Virginia Capital Vote To End Marijuana Testing Of City Workers

The Richmond, Virginia City Council has approved a resolution that requests the city stop testing certain workers for marijuana as a condition of their employment.

Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch (D) introduced the measure, which she said would help align the body with the state legislature, which passed a bill to decriminalize possession of cannabis this session.

“As a forward-looking and progressive city, we need to adapt and change with the times, as policy has,” Lynch told Virginia Public Media. “In an environment where we are in such shortage of good employees, in my mind, it doesn’t make sense to be terminating folks just for failing a marijuana test.”

The resolution advanced out of the Council’s Education and Human Services Standing Committee last week and the full panel approved it as part of the consent agenda without debate on Monday.

Text of the measure states that the “Council hereby requests that the Mayor amend the Administrative Regulations of the City, to the extent permitted by law, to exclude from substance detection testing the testing of City employees and applicants for employment with the City, except for public safety personnel and applicants for public safety positions, for marijuana use.”

While the resolution doesn’t specify what safety-sensitive positions will still be subject to drug testing, local media reports that police and firefighters would be exempt from the policy change. Mayor Levar Stoney (D) supports the goals of the measure, a spokesman said.

The resolution also emphasizes that the proposal is in response to lawmakers passing decriminalization legislation on the state level. The governor approved the bill last month, but he also recommended a series of amendments. Most of those were approved, but because they rejected two, it is being returned to his desk for a final signature or veto. The bill also contains a provision requiring a working group to study and make recommendations about broader adult-use marijuana legalization.

“We applaud Councilwoman Lynch for prioritizing this issue and Mayor Stoney for supporting it,” Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of the Richmond-based Virginia NORML, told Marijuana Moment. “Virginia’s first medical dispensaries will open this year, and the Commonwealth is in the process of studying a regulatory framework for adult-use.”

“Now is the time for municipalities throughout the state to review and update their policies so they may better align with state law and public opinion,” they said.

There was some opposition to the measure, including from Council Vice President Chris Hilbert who argued that the policy conflicts with the city charter, which requires councilmembers and the mayor to resign from office if they’re convicted of possessing marijuana.

“I’m worried that we have one standard for employees and another for the officers and members of the governing body of the city,” he said.

Regardless, Hilbert joined his colleagues in unanimously approving the resolution.

Stoney said that he will be forming a working group to implement the requested policy.

This development comes days after legislation banning pre-employment drug testing for cannabis went into effect in New York City.
 

Virginia Governor Officially Signs Marijuana Decriminalization Bills Into Law


The governor of Virginia signed a pair of identical bills on Thursday to decriminalize marijuana possession in the state.

Following the lawmakers’ initial passage of the measures in March, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) recommended a series of amendments and sent the legislation back to the Senate and House of Delegates for consideration. While they adopted 15 amendments, they rejected two, including one that proposed to delay a required study into the impact of broader cannabis legalization.

The revised bills were sent back to Northam, and now he’s officially approved them. In a press release, Northam didn’t explicitly discuss the decriminalization legislation but said he is “proud of the accomplishments we made together during this General Assembly session.”

“We advanced long-neglected priorities, including rights and protections for Virginians,” he said. “We were able to redirect funding to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and a number of the laws we enacted are proving to be more important than ever.”

With the signing of the bills—HB 972 and SB 2—Northam has fulfilled a campaign promise he made back in 2017. As governor, he has repeatedly stressed the need for reform, including in his State of the Commonwealth addresses.

Under the legislation, possessing up to one ounce of cannabis will be punishable by a $25 fine with no threat of jail time and no criminal record. Current Virginia law makes simple possession punishable by a maximum $500 fine, up to 30 days in jail and a criminal record.

“This victory comes after many years of sustained effort by Virginia NORML and its membership,” Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML, told Marijuana Moment. “And while we applaud Governor Northam, his administration, and the legislature for taking this step, it’s critical that they work swiftly to legalize and regulate the responsible of cannabis by adults and begin undoing the damages prohibition has waged on tens of thousands of Virginians.”

Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Steve Hawkins also praised the reform.

“The move to decriminalize cannabis possession in Virginia is long overdue,” he said in a press release. “We applaud the legislature and the governor for implementing a policy that will allow law enforcement to focus resources on more serious crimes and prevent Virginians from having their lives derailed for possessing cannabis, a substance that is safer than alcohol.”

Virginia will officially become the 27th state to remove the threat of jail time for possessing small amounts of marijuana when the law takes effect on July 1, and will be the first to do so in 2020.

Separately, in Virginia’s capital city, Richmond, local lawmakers approved a resolution last week that requests the city stop testing certain workers for marijuana as a condition of their employment.
 
Marijuana arrests down 8 percent in Virginia: On eve of decriminalization

Marijuana-related marijuana arrests declined more than 8 percent from 2018 to 2019, according to annual data compiled by the Virginia State Police.

State law enforcement officials recorded 26,470 arrests for marijuana violations in 2019, down from 28,866 in 2018.

Marijuana-related arrests comprised 57 percent of all drug-related arrests recorded in 2019. Approximately half of those arrested for cannabis violations were age 24 or younger.

Under state law first-time possession offenders face up to 30 days in jail and a criminal record. Subsequent offenses are punishable by up to one-year in prison.

Those penalties change on July 1, 2020 when the state’s newly enacted marijuana decriminalization law takes effect. Under the new law, offenses involving personal possession of up to one ounce of marijuana are a civil violation – punishable by a maximum $25 fine, no arrest, and no criminal record.

The year-over-year decline in marijuana arrests marks a reversal in policing trends. Between 2016 and 2018, marijuana-related arrests rose 25 percent in the state. Historically, African Americans have been arrested in Virginia for violating cannabis laws at more than three times the rates of Caucasians.

NORML Development Director Jenn Michelle Pedini, who also serves as the executive director of the state affiliate chapter, Virginia NORML, welcomes the change in enforcement priorities.

“It is a positive sign that after years of heightened enforcement, we’re now seeing a downward trend in marijuana-related arrests in Virginia. Following the enactment of decriminalization on July 1, we expect to see an even more drastic reduction in these arrests — arrests that, historically, have disproportionately impacted the poor, the young, and people of color.”
 
I hate publishing articles about states like Virginia whose politicians claim to have passed a MMJ program when in fact its a Potemkin Village...all the optics and no real substance.

This is what is allowed:

"capsules, creams, sprays, and topicals. Most notably, the law now allows for greater amounts of THC, although products are still limited to no more than 10mg of the compound"

To me, this is an empty suit of a program....but, I kind of like any news where MedMen are on the losing end. They went out and tried to circumvent licensing regulations with "management agreements" and I personally oppose too much consolidation. Oh, we will have big players, no doubt, but I'm a strong advocate for carve outs for locally owned small businesses. Just me. A local dispensary here in MD was bought by Pharmacann who was then immediately bought by Medmen and then the deal fell through. At this point, I have no idea who owns Verilife....still Pharmacann I guess....but it can't be MedMen as its still a nice store. hahaha



Medical marijuana dispensary MedMen loses license in Virginia. Now Staunton could lose out entirely.


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.

But this also means the location for the facility can be anywhere in our health service area. Staunton is located in health service area one, which encompasses the Shenandoah Valley and Charlottesville. The Staunton location was tied to the facility that was awarded the conditional permit in 2018. Originally, this facility was PharmaCann.

"As with the initial round of applications to the Board of Pharmacy, I hope Staunton is still a point of interest for other potential entities," said Billy Vaughn, Staunton's Community and Economic Development director. "Maybe the PharmaCann/MedMen site in Green Hills comes in to play."

In May 2019, PharmaCann Virginia purchased the land at 3 Industry Way in Green Hills Industry and Technology Center for $212,352, according to city records.
Back in August, PharmaCann held a Q&A for residents. Representatives from PharmaCann, the Virginia Medical Cannabis Coalition and the Greater Augusta Prevention Partners held the event to field questions from the public on the new medical cannabis dispensary PharmaCann in Staunton. During this time, it was said the facility would break ground soon and be able to serve patients by the end of the year, according to officials.

That didn't happen.

The News Leader is your place for local and state coverage of medical cannabis. And we do more than that: coronavirus, elections, graduations, public safety, taxpayer watchdog work. Please take a moment and subscribe now, and keep local journalists in the field for you.

PharmaCann had one year to make it all happen. The company needed to build the facility, start growing and submit for inspection by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy by the end of 2019 in order to receive a permit to open and begin providing medical cannabis to patients.

But the building site location at 3 Industry Way remained empty. Initial plans were to build a new facility and hire employees. A local construction company would have been hired to build the facility, and to operate as a business, they would have needed between 10 to 15 employees to start. As the market increased, this would have increased to 20 to 30 employment opportunities for people in the area.
The building site at 3 Industry Way in Green Hills Industry and Technology Center for Staunton's medical marijuana dispensary remains vacant.

The building site at 3 Industry Way in Green Hills Industry and Technology Center for Staunton's medical marijuana dispensary remains vacant. (Photo: City of Staunton/Submitted)

Then MedMen Enterprises, Inc., a leading cannabis company with operations across the country, announced it would be merging with PharmaCann in one of the biggest deals in the marijuana industry. But in October 2019, MedMen announced the $682 million merger was terminated.

While news of one of the biggest medical cannabis acquisitions falling apart spread within the financial and marijuana business sectors, nothing about the failed acquisition causing delays in opening the dispensary in Staunton was communicated.

As part of a debt settlement package after the merger was terminated, MedMen received the business license for the Staunton facility from PharmaCann, and it was then sold in December 2019 to MM Enterprises, or MedMen, for $10.

The 6.64 acres have sat untouched. Per Diane Powers, director of communications at Virginia Department of Health Professions, an inspection of the proposed building facility was performed per the original December 2019 deadline. Any corrective actions was under review by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy.
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the original date of March 24 to review the inspection report and vote on corrective actions was canceled, said Powers. The review and vote instead took place on June 16.

In 2018, Virginia Board of Pharmacy granted five conditional licenses to open medical marijuana dispensaries in five health regions in the state. While the other four facilities are making progress in opening their dispensaries to be able to provide medical cannabis to patients, at this time there is no place in Virginia for patients to get their medicine. According to Virginia NORML, Dharma Pharmaceuticals in Bristol will most likely be the first dispensary in the state to service patients.

Reciprocity in Washington, D.C. was not granted to Virginia, though the District of Columbia did say they would revisit this once the state legalized medical marijuana and the dispensaries opened.
 
Virginia’s Marijuana Decriminalization Law Officially Takes Effect

A marijuana decriminalization policy is officially in effect in Virginia as of Wednesday.

One month after Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed the bill—which will make possession of up to one ounce of cannabis punishable by a $25 fine with no threat of jail time and no criminal record—the commonwealth has become the 27th state to enact the policy change.

Lawmakers initially passed the bill in March, but the governor recommended a series of amendments and sent the legislation back to the Senate and House of Delegates for consideration.

While they adopted 15 of the Northam’s amendments, they rejected two, including one that proposed to delay a required study into the impact of broader cannabis legalization.

The enactment of the legislation—HB 972 and SB 2—fulfills a campaign promise Northam made back in 2017. As governor, he has repeatedly stressed the need for reform, including in his State of the Commonwealth addresses.

Prior Virginia law made simple possession punishable by a maximum $500 fine, up to 30 days in jail and a criminal record.

Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML, said that “Virginians have long opposed the criminalization of personal marijuana possession, and the enactment of this legislation turns that public opinion into public policy.”

“Twenty-seven states have now decriminalized cannabis, and Virginia’s decriminalization law is the strongest among them,” Olivia Naugle, legislative analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), said in a press release. The law “will prevent Virginians from being criminalized and having their lives derailed for simple cannabis possession.”

State Attorney General Mark Herring (D) also praised the reform.

“Virginia’s approach to cannabis hasn’t been working for far too long, needlessly saddling Virginians, especially Black Virginians and people of color, with criminal records. Those days are now behind us,” he said in a press release. “With this historic legislation, we are making Virginia a more just, fair, equal and progressive place.”

But Herring, who is running to replace the term-limited governor in 2021, wants the state to go even further. “While decriminalization is an important first step on Virginia’s path, we cannot stop until we have full legalization in the Commonwealth,” he said.

Advocates also stressed that further reforms are needed.

Pedini said that “it’s critical the legislature work swiftly to legalize and regulate the responsible use of cannabis by adults.”

“For too long, young people, poor people, and people of color have disproportionately been impacted by cannabis criminalization, and lawmakers must take immediate steps to right these past wrongs and to undo the damage that prohibition has waged upon hundreds of thousands of Virginians,” the NORML activist said.

Steve Hawkins, executive director of MPP said that “Virginia lawmakers should continue to work towards broader cannabis policy reform.”

He cited a recent statement from the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, which is pushing legislators to take up legalization during a special session this summer, as the right next step.

“As the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has recognized, full legalization is needed,” he said. “While decriminalization is long overdue, legalization is necessary to dramatically reduce police-civilian interactions and remove the pretext for countless police stops.”

The Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus recently proposed a more modest reform that they want taken up during the August session: ending law enforcement searches of people or vehicles based solely on the odor of cannabis. The caucus also highlighted legislation the body passed last session but that didn’t make it to the governor’s desk that would have expunged certain prior marijuana charges and convictions.
 
They might want to start with implementing an actual med program as what VA has is in the Potemkin Village category, IME.

This is what is allowed:

"capsules, creams, sprays, and topicals. Most notably, the law now allows for greater amounts of THC, although products are still limited to no more than 10mg of the compound"


Virginia Lawmakers Announce Plans To Legalize Marijuana, One Day After Decriminalization Takes Effect



Only a day after a new marijuana decriminalization law took effect in Virginia, top state lawmakers are announcing that they’re already looking ahead to full legalization.


A group of Democratic legislators on Thursday announced plans to introduce a bill to legalize and regulate a commercial cannabis market in the state. While the measure isn’t set to be filed until next year, lawmakers framed legalization as necessary in the fight for social and racial justice.


“Decriminalizing marijuana is an important step in mitigating racial disparities in the criminal justice system, but there is still much work to do,” House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D) said in a press release. “While marijuana arrests across the nation have decreased, arrests in Virginia have increased.”


Other lawmakers backing the broader legalization push include Sens. Adam Ebbin (D) and Jennifer McClelland (D), as well as Del. Steve Heretick (D).


On Wednesday, the state’s new marijuana decriminalization policy took effect. The law, approved by lawmakers earlier this year and signed by Gov. Ralph Northam (D), removes criminal penalties for low-level marijuana possession. Under the change, having up to an ounce of cannabis is now punishable by a $25 fine and no threat of jail time or a criminal record.


Prior Virginia law punished simple marijuana possession with up to 30 days in jail, a $500 fine and a long-term criminal record.


“This bill will prevent low-level offenders from receiving jail time for simple possession while we move toward legalization with a framework that addresses both public safety and racial equity in an emerging market,” Herring said of the new law, which she sponsored in the House of Delegates and Ebbin led in the Senate.


The decriminalization measure also contains a provision to study future legalization. It requires a bevy of executive agencies, including “the Secretaries of Agriculture and Forestry, Finance, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety and Homeland Security,” to convene an expert working group to study the matter. That panel’s report is due in November.


A separate legislative agency, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC), is also studying the impacts of possible legalization as the result of yet another resolution approved by lawmakers this year.


Lawmakers said on Thursday that the JLARC report, which is due in December, would inform how they shape legalization legislation they expect to file in 2021.


“Elements of the JLARC study include review of best practices from states such as Illinois that have developed a legal framework, testing and labelling recommendations, and measures to reduce illicit sales,” according to a press release from Ebbin’s office. “The study will also examine how best to provide redress and economic opportunity for communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition, and recommend programs and policies to reinvest in affected communities.”


The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus doesn’t want to wait for the results of the two reviews, however, and is pushing fellow lawmakers to take up cannabis legalization during a special session in August. In addition, the caucus has said its members intend to file bills to implement automatic expungement, ban no-knock warrants, require courts to publish racial date on people charged with low-level offenses and enact other sweeping criminal justice reforms.


Jenn Michelle Pedini, development director for the legalization advocacy group NORML and executive director of the group’s Virginia chapter, said the organization, which has worked with lawmakers on past reforms, looks forward to continuing to bring evidence-based cannabis policy to Virginia.


“For far too long, young people, poor people, and people of color have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis criminalization, and Virginia must take immediate steps to right these past wrongs and undo the damage that prohibition has waged upon hundreds of thousands of Virginians,” Pedini said. “It is time to legalize and regulate the responsible use of cannabis by adults in the Commonwealth.”


Ebbin said that despite the meaningful step of decriminalization, the state still has a long way to go.


“Today Virginia is taking an important first step in reducing the harm caused by the criminalization of cannabis,” he said in a statement. “The prohibition of marijuana has failed and the consequence of this failure has been felt overwhelmingly by Virginians of color, but it has not ended. It will only end when it is replaced by a regulated adult-use market that emphasizes equity—making whole those who have been burdened most by making sure they have a seat at the table and access to the marketplace. We are looking forward to doing the hard work needed to get this right.”


In the meantime, the Senate Democratic Caucus has announced it will pursue a bill during the special session next month to end law enforcement searches of people or vehicles based solely on the smell of marijuana, which critics say is a recipe for discriminatory enforcement. The group also noted that the chamber approved legislation during the regular legislative session that would have expunged certain marijuana charges and convictions, but that those bills didn’t make it to the governor’s desk.
 
Virginia's First Medical Cannabis Sites Slated To Open

A few years after Virginia lawmakers approved its first medical cannabis facilities, four of them are expected to open by the end of the year. Because they operate like pharmacies under state law, COVID-19 is not seen as as a setback.

The program now has more than 3,800 patients with qualifying conditions like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, registered by the state’s Board of Pharmacy.

The four dispensaries are open to patients with a valid registration from the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, and doctor's recommendation.

Dharma Pharmaceuticals could open its facility by the end of August.
Founder and COO Jack Page says his company can add as many as five more dispensing sites in Southwest Virginia by early 2021, based on Board of Pharmacy regulations.

“There has been an overwhelming amount of interest from property owners all across the region, so we’re evaluating all our options at this point," he said. "Until you know exactly what the process is going to be, it’s hard to hone in on any one specific location.”

Dharma will start its base of operations in Bristol, but because voters there are considering a casino for the same site, the company will be moving to Abingdon by 2021. Washington County’s Board of Supervisors recently approved the move.

"We talk about (Bristol) as our incubator," Page said. "We built a smaller facility here, but that's kind of allowed us to learn 'we like how we did this, we don't particularly like how we did that,' so we'll have a much more efficiently facility in Abingdon."

One of the leading advocates for the medical cannabis program says more major health systems in Virginia need to support the use of cannabis oils, and let their practitioners back it as well.

Jenn Michelle Pedini is the Executive Director of Virginia NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

“We’ve seen this throughout the country," Pedini said. "The state’s major health systems issuing letters to their practitioners directing them not to register with the state to issue these certifications to patients. So that is really placing a strain on patients to find – not only a practitioner to issue a certification, but a practitioner that will take their insurance to do so.”

Virginia’s first sites for growing and dispensing medical cannabis will open in Bristol, Richmond, Portsmouth, and Manassas. Each represents one of Virginia’s Health Service Areas.

Plans for a Staunton dispensary fell through, but the Board of Pharmacy expects to seek new applicants late this year.
 
Virginia's First Medical Cannabis Sites Slated To Open

A few years after Virginia lawmakers approved its first medical cannabis facilities, four of them are expected to open by the end of the year. Because they operate like pharmacies under state law, COVID-19 is not seen as as a setback.

The program now has more than 3,800 patients with qualifying conditions like epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, registered by the state’s Board of Pharmacy.

The four dispensaries are open to patients with a valid registration from the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, and doctor's recommendation.

Dharma Pharmaceuticals could open its facility by the end of August.
Founder and COO Jack Page says his company can add as many as five more dispensing sites in Southwest Virginia by early 2021, based on Board of Pharmacy regulations.

“There has been an overwhelming amount of interest from property owners all across the region, so we’re evaluating all our options at this point," he said. "Until you know exactly what the process is going to be, it’s hard to hone in on any one specific location.”

Dharma will start its base of operations in Bristol, but because voters there are considering a casino for the same site, the company will be moving to Abingdon by 2021. Washington County’s Board of Supervisors recently approved the move.

"We talk about (Bristol) as our incubator," Page said. "We built a smaller facility here, but that's kind of allowed us to learn 'we like how we did this, we don't particularly like how we did that,' so we'll have a much more efficiently facility in Abingdon."

One of the leading advocates for the medical cannabis program says more major health systems in Virginia need to support the use of cannabis oils, and let their practitioners back it as well.

Jenn Michelle Pedini is the Executive Director of Virginia NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

“We’ve seen this throughout the country," Pedini said. "The state’s major health systems issuing letters to their practitioners directing them not to register with the state to issue these certifications to patients. So that is really placing a strain on patients to find – not only a practitioner to issue a certification, but a practitioner that will take their insurance to do so.”

Virginia’s first sites for growing and dispensing medical cannabis will open in Bristol, Richmond, Portsmouth, and Manassas. Each represents one of Virginia’s Health Service Areas.

Plans for a Staunton dispensary fell through, but the Board of Pharmacy expects to seek new applicants late this year.
Thanks for posting this, Mom....but personally I just don't give Virginia credit for an actual medical cannabis program.....from FAQs on it:

Is this only for oils?
No, SB1557 clarifies that "any formulation" may be dispensed. Patients can expect to see preparations like capsules, sprays, tinctures, oils, creams, gels, lozenges, patches, troches, suppositories, lollipops, and inhalation devices.​
Is it only CBD or low-THC preparations?
No, the products may contain up to 10 mg THC per dose. “Dose" means a single unit, like one capsule or one dropperful. “Dosage" is the total amount taken each time, for example 2 sprays 4 time per day. There are no limits on dosage.​
Is flower allowed?
No, products allowed under the program are limited to extraction-based preparations. Edible products will be in the form of lozenges, gelatin cubes, and lollipops, much like at compounding pharmacies.​
 
utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=MJD_20200812_News_Daily
Virginia’s potential $50 million medical cannabis program poised to launch
Published August 12, 2020 | By Jeff Smith




Virginia’s limited commercial medical cannabis program will be met with modest expectations when it launches, possibly within weeks.




But proponents of the new MMJ market have lofty hopes for high growth and strong business opportunities – thanks to the possible rollout of flower sales in the next year or two.


For now, products are limited to cannabis oils, edibles such as lozenges and lollipops as well as vape cartridges with single doses capped at 10 milligrams of THC.

Despite the market restrictions and projections it will reach only $50 million in sales by 2024, Virginia is seen as a gem by licensees because:

  • Only five vertically integrated licenses were issued. Each operator has been granted a virtual monopoly in one of five “health service” areas. One license is vacant after MedMen Enterprises was recently forced to surrender its permit.
  • Legislation passed this year and signed into law allows those operators to open an additional five satellite dispensaries, called pharmacies, for a total of six in their service area.
  • Flower could be added as soon as next year under a Democratic-controlled Legislature and Democratic governor.
  • The licensees could get fast-tracked into a recreational marijuana program in the not-so-distant future. A legislative group has been convened to study adult-use legalization, but it could be a couple of years before lawmakers actually seriously consider the issue.
The new Marijuana Business Factbook projects medical cannabis sales in Virginia will reach only $9 million-$11 million in the first full year in 2021, growing to $45 million-$55 million by 2024.

Those projections would be blown out of the water, however, if Virginia lawmakers allow flower. Such a move would open up the market to tremendous sales growth: Florida’s MMJ sales, for example, doubled once flower was allowed.

Erich Mauff, founder and co-president of Florida-based multistate operator Jushi Holdings, recently characterized Virginia as “nothing but a home run.”

He indicated during an interview with Marijuana Business Daily that Virginia plays into Jushi’s strategy to be in potentially high-growth markets that have limited licensing schemes so operators can establish dominant positions.

“There’s a good chance of flower and adult use in the next year or two,” Mauff said.

New York-based MSO Columbia Care, another license holder, is also bullish about adult use being legalized as soon as 2021 and has a similar take about the future of Virginia’s MMJ market.

The company said in a statement to MJBizDaily that it is “preparing for a dynamic market with high potential growth.”

Both Jushi and Columbia Care said they plan to open the maximum six dispensaries allowed.

The current licensing structure isn’t going unchallenged, though.

The vertical license holders have created the Virginia Medical Cannabis Coalition to protect their interests.

But a separate industry group – the Virginia Cannabis Industry Association – has formed from Round One applicants that didn’t secure one of the five permits as well as others that want to get into the business.

The group is fighting to open up the market to additional business opportunities such as stand-alone cultivation and retail licenses.

“We think limiting the availability (of the market) to five companies doesn’t encourage the type of competition that would be helpful to consumers,” said Rebecca Gwilt, executive director of the industry association.

MSOs dominate the landscape

Jushi paid $16 million in 2019 to acquire 62% of Virginia-based pharmaceutical processor Dalitso, which holds a prized vertical MMJ license for more heavily populated northern Virginia.

Jushi, which operates dispensaries under its Beyond/Hello brand, also agreed to loan up to $15 million to build out the operation.

The other active licensees and their regions are:

  • Virginia-based Dharma Pharmaceuticals, southwestern Virginia.
  • Columbia Care, Portsmouth area.
  • Maryland-based MSO Green Leaf Medical, Richmond area.
In June, the state stripped financially troubled MedMen of its license for not moving forward on its Staunton-based location. MedMen had acquired the license from Illinois-based MSO PharmaCann as part of a collapsed merger.

Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML, said the state Board of Pharmacy confirmed last week during a medical cannabis legislative work group that it will open up applications for MedMen’s vacant license before year-end.

Slow progress

Lawmakers have slowly improved the business opportunities for Virginia’s medical cannabis program since enacting a 2017 law that permitted patients suffering from intractable epilepsy to use some types of cannabis oil with a doctor’s certification.

But industry officials and advocates want more licensing opportunities than what was provided in the first MMJ permit round.

The process of selecting the five MMJ licensees didn’t go over well with many of the 51 applicants.

Seven companies challenged the licensing process, criticizing it as “wildly prejudicial” and favoring multistate operators.

“The process by and large was closed-door and lacked transparency, which led to litigation,” Gwilt said.

She said the licensing round had no explicit component to encourage industry diversity or give preference to in-state applicants.

“Virginia has a thriving agricultural industry, and many were disappointed to find out there was not a place for them in the current (marijuana market),” she said.

“We want the state to do some hard thinking about how best to structure the program, even if that means changing its philosophy from full vertical integration to having a more diverse set of licensing opportunities available.”

Simply put, Gwilt said, a vertical operation requires tens of millions of dollars of investments and “does not allow for a great diversity of participants.”

Lawmakers studying the issue

Pedini said Virginia’s lawmakers have directed the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to make recommendations about regulating and legalizing adult-use marijuana, a necessary step toward a possible commercial program.

Lawmakers also have convened a legalization work group.

Both Pedini and Gwilt noted that the Virginia Legislature became Democratic-controlled in 2019 for the first time in many years.

That could bode well for more rapid progress. But Gwilt said the new lawmakers are getting educated on marijuana, and the current focus is on criminal justice reform, not commercial recreational marijuana.

In the meantime, existing medical marijuana operators are getting closer to launching the market.

Columbia Care, for example, announced with its second-quarter results Monday that it recently started growing marijuana in a new 62,000-square-foot facility. The company expects to open its first dispensary later this year.

Dharma, though, is expected to be the first out of the gate, perhaps selling MMJ products within weeks.

The company has harvested its first grow, finished its first extraction run and is putting together its first product batch for approval, Pedini said.

All of which means Virginia is finally on the verge of launching a commercial, albeit limited, medical cannabis program.

As Pedini noted: “We started the process in 2015, and here we are in 2020 and finally going to see the first store open.”

Jeff Smith can be reached at jeffs@mjbizdaily.com
 
He indicated during an interview with Marijuana Business Daily that Virginia plays into Jushi’s strategy to be in potentially high-growth markets that have limited licensing schemes so operators can establish dominant positions.
Yeah, good for him, fuck the patients. Right?

As I said and continue to say, this is an empty suit of a med program designed primarily to give top cover to asshole politicians.....again, fuck the patients.

As for these projections, maybe. But I'm not putting too much confidence into the projections of an MJ CEO as almost all of them are losing money at an enormous rate.

Well, glad I don't live in Virginia.
 
Virginia Senate Approves Two Marijuana Bills As Lawmakers Pursue Broader Legalization

Two modest marijuana reform bills cleared the Virginia Senate on Friday, with several others advancing during a special session as lawmakers consider the issue of broader cannabis legalization.

Legislation that would make possession of cannabis in a motor vehicle a secondary offense instead of a primary one, and also prevent law enforcement from searching or seizing property based on the odor of marijuana alone, passed the chamber in a 21-15 vote.



Making possession a secondary offense means that a summons couldn’t be issued unless the person is charged with a separate, second violation.



Virginia lawmakers approved a bill to decriminalize simple marijuana possession earlier this year, and it went into effect on July 1. It makes possession of up to one ounce a civil penalty punishable by a $25 fine with no threat of jail time. But while advocates view that development as a significant victory, legislators are also looking for ways to build upon that reform.

For example, another bill that would give people issued a summons for cannabis possession the option of prepaying the civil penalty instead of having to go to court was approved on Friday in a 29-7 vote.

The House has their own version of the legislation concerning secondary offenses, but it also contains provisions to prohibit individual jurisdictions from enacting ordinances that would make a violation a primary offense if it’s considered a secondary offense under state law. The chamber’s Courts of Justice Committee passed that bill 13-7 on Wednesday.

“A disproportionate number of people pulled over for minor traffic offenses tend to be people of color, this is a contributor to the higher incarceration rate among minorities,” Del. Patrick Hope (D), chief sponsor of that legislation, told The Virginia Mercury.

Lawmakers are also looking at expungements legislation this special session, which started about two weeks ago but doesn’t have a clear end date. One bill would allow a person to petition for an “expungement of the police and court records relating to convictions of marijuana possession” and other low-level offenses after court fines are paid and “five years have elapsed since the date of completion of all terms of sentencing and probation.”

That bill has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and has since been referred the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. The Judiciary panel incorporated a separate piece of expungements legislation into the bill.

Del. Jennifer Carroll (D), who is running for governor in 2021, also introduced legislationthis special session to legalize marijuana possession. While decriminalization has been enacted, the new bill would amend the code to stipulate that “it is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance other than marijuana.”



The bill is awaiting a committee referral.

All of these incremental reforms come as legislators continue to pursue a broader legalization plan in the Commonwealth that would include a system of regulated and taxed sales and production.

The decriminalization bill that passed earlier this year contained a provision that called for the establishment of a working group to study and make recommendations about adult-use marijuana legalization. That group has met twice and expects to issue its report to the legislature at the end of November.

“While there is much more work to be done surrounding criminal justice and cannabis policy, these bills are important steps the Commonwealth can and should immediately take,” Jenn Michelle Pedini, development director of NORML and executive director of the group’s Virginia chapter, told Marijuana Moment. “Prohibiting law enforcement from searching an individual or vehicle solely based on the odor of marijuana will greatly reduce non-essential interactions between law enforcement and otherwise law-abiding members of the public.”

“Most recently, the highest court in Maryland unanimously decided that police may not rely on the odor of marijuana as a justification to perform a warrantless search of a person or to make an arrest,” Pedini said. “It’s time that Virginia follows the same path.”

Meanwhile, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is doing its own analysis on ending cannabis prohibition and will similarly report on its findings before the end of the year.

While some lawmakers plan to incorporate findings from those reports into a legalization bill in 2021, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus is calling for an expedited process and isn’t interested in waiting for the results.
 
Virginia Lawmakers Approve Another Round Of Marijuana Reforms While Broader Legalization Is Studied

Marijuana reform is speeding through the Virginia legislature during a summer special session, with another round of legislation advancing last week.

On Friday, the House of Delegates approved a bill to further reduce cannabis penalties by making possession in a motor vehicle a secondary offense instead of a primary one. The measure would also prevent law enforcement from conducting searches or seizing property based on the odor of marijuana alone.

Making possession a secondary offense means that a summons couldn’t be issued unless a person is also charged with a separate, second violation.

Lawmakers passed the measure in a 54-44 vote. The move comes one week after the Senate approved its own version of the legislation, meaning the stage is set to resolve differences and potentially get the reform to the governor’s desk. The House bill contains a unique provision to prohibit individual jurisdictions from enacting ordinances that would make a violation a primary offense if it’s considered a secondary offense under state law.

Virginia lawmakers approved a bill to decriminalize simple marijuana possession earlier this year, and it went into effect on July 1. It makes possession of up to one ounce a civil penalty punishable by a $25 fine with no threat of jail time. But while advocates view that development as a significant victory, legislators are also looking for ways to build upon the reform.

For example, a Senate floor vote is imminent for a separate bill that would allow a person to petition for an “expungement of the police and court records relating to convictions of marijuana possession” and other low-level offenses after court fines are paid and “five years have elapsed since the date of completion of all terms of sentencing and probation.”

After clearing the Finance and Appropriations Committee on Thursday, the required constitutional reading of that legislation was dispensed with on the floor, so legislators aren’t required to schedule three separate readings on different days—meaning it could pass the chamber quickly in the coming days.

Last week, the House approved a bill that would give people issued a summons for cannabis possession the option of prepaying the civil penalty instead of having to go to court

Meanwhile, Del. Jennifer Carroll (D), who is running for governor in 2021, also introduced legislation during the special session to legalize marijuana possession. While decriminalization has been enacted, the new bill would amend the code to stipulate that “it is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance other than marijuana.” The measure has been referred to the House Courts of Justice Committee.

All of these incremental reforms come as legislators continue to pursue a broader legalization plan in the Commonwealth that would include a system of regulated and taxed sales and production.

The decriminalization bill that passed earlier this year contained a provision that called for the establishment of a working group to study and make recommendations about adult-use marijuana legalization. That panel has met twice and expects to issue its report to the legislature at the end of November.

Meanwhile, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is doing its own analysis on ending cannabis prohibition and will similarly report on its findings before the end of the year.

While some lawmakers plan to incorporate findings from those reports into a legalization bill in 2021, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus is calling for an expedited process and isn’t interested in waiting for the results.
 
Virginia House And Senate Approve Marijuana Expungement Bills

Both chambers of the Virginia legislature this week approved bills to help people clear prior marijuana convictions from their records.

The state Senate passed legislation on Thursday that would provide individuals with an opportunity to have cannabis possession convictions expunged—one of the latest in a series of marijuana reforms that legislators have advanced during the summer special session.

Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) introduced the bill, which would require individuals to first pay “all court costs, fines, and restitution, and for five years to have elapsed since the date of conviction” before their court and police records could be cleared. Beyond cannabis possession, people would also be eligible to petition for an expungement of other low-level offenses such as using a fake ID to buy alcohol.

The House of Delegates also approved a separate expungement bill on Wednesday. It would establish “a process for the automatic expungement of criminal records for certain convictions, deferred dispositions, acquittals, and for offenses that have been nolle prossed or otherwise dismissed,” according to a summary. Those with marijuana possession convictions would be eligible for the expungement.

That bill has been transmitted to the Senate and referred to the Judiciary Committee. Since both chambers have now passed expungement legislation, albeit in different forms, it is likely that some kind of bicameral deal on the issue can be negotiated in order to get a proposal to the desk of Gov. Ralph Northam (D).

“These bills include long overdue steps the Commonwealth should immediately take to begin undoing the damages inflicted upon hundreds of thousands of Virginians during the state’s failed multi-decade experiment with prohibition,” NORML Development Director Jenn Michelle Pedini, who also serves as executive director of Virginia NORML, told Marijuana Moment. “Virginians deserve the opportunity to expunge their records of marijuana-related offenses, the majority of which no longer carry a criminal penalty in the Commonwealth.”

Virginia lawmakers approved a bill to decriminalize simple marijuana possession earlier this year, and it went into effect on July 1. It makes possession of up to one ounce a civil penalty punishable by a $25 fine with no threat of jail time. But while advocates view that development as a significant victory, legislators are also looking for ways to build upon the reform.

For example, both chambers passed bills to further reduce criminal penalties for cannabis possession last week. The legislation would make possession in a motor vehicle a secondary offense instead of a primary one. The measure would also prevent law enforcement from conducting searches or seizing property based on the odor of marijuana alone.

“Prohibiting law enforcement searches based solely on the odor of marijuana will greatly reduce non-essential interactions between police and otherwise law-abiding members of the public,” Pedini said. “Eliminating those interactions is of even greater importance during the pandemic.”

Making possession a secondary offense means that a summons couldn’t be issued unless a person is also charged with a separate, second violation.

The House version contains a unique provision to prohibit individual jurisdictions from enacting ordinances that would make a violation a primary offense if it’s considered a secondary offense under state law.

House lawmakers also recently approved a bill that would give people issued a summons for cannabis possession the option of prepaying the civil penalty instead of having to go to court.

Meanwhile, Del. Jennifer Carroll (D), who is running for governor in 2021, also introduced legislation during the special session to legalize marijuana possession. While decriminalization has been enacted, the new bill would amend the code to stipulate that “it is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance other than marijuana.” The measure has been referred to the House Courts of Justice Committee.

All of these incremental reforms come as legislators continue to pursue a broader legalization plan in the Commonwealth that would include a system of regulated and taxed sales and production.

The decriminalization bill that passed earlier this year contained a provision that called for the establishment of a working group to study and make recommendations about adult-use marijuana legalization. That panel has met twice and expects to issue its report to the legislature at the end of November.

Meanwhile, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is doing its own analysis on ending cannabis prohibition and will similarly report on its findings before the end of the year.

While some lawmakers plan to incorporate findings from those reports into a legalization bill in 2021, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus is calling for an expedited process and isn’t interested in waiting for the results.
 

Virginia Lawmakers Send New Marijuana Bills To Governor’s Desk


Months after Virginia’s governor signed a new law decriminalizing possession of marijuanain the state, lawmakers are sending him additional cannabis reform bills to expand on that policy.

On Friday, the House of Delegates and Senate approved final versions of legislation to make it so that police may not “stop, search, or seize any person, place, or thing solely on the basis of the odor of marijuana.”

Differing House and Senate versions of legislation were made identical and now head to the desk of Gov. Ralph Northam (D).



That’s not the only cannabis reform proposal to advance during the current special legislative session.

The governor has also been sent a bill to give people who are issued a summons for cannabis possession under the new decriminalization law the option of prepaying the civil penalty instead of having to go to court.

Meanwhile, legislation to facilitate the expungement of prior convictions, including for marijuana and other drugs, is also advancing through the legislature.

The House proposal on the issue would automatically expunge records after a period of eight years, whereas the Senate’s version would allow people to petition for expungement after a period of five years. The House bill covers more drug crimes, as well. It is likely that a bicameral conference committee will have to iron out the differences between the two chambers’ desired approaches before anything heads to Northam for action.

In addition to the newly enacted decriminalization policy, lawmakers and Northam also expanded the state’s limited medical cannabis program during this year’s regular legislative session.

“These bills expand upon the significant progress made earlier this year with the decriminalization of marijuana and legalization of medical cannabis,” NORML Development Director Jenn Michelle Pedini, who also serves as executive director of Virginia NORML, told Marijuana Moment in reference to the new reforms that are advancing. “And while this will certainly decrease non-essential interactions between law enforcement and otherwise law-abiding Virginians, it is only by legalizing the responsible use of cannabis by adults that the Commonwealth can end its failed experiment with prohibition and begin repairing the decades of damage.”

Del. Jennifer Carroll (D), who is running for governor in 2021, introduced legislation during the special session to legalize marijuana possession. The bill would amend the code to stipulate that “it is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance other than marijuana.” The measure has been referred to the House Courts of Justice Committee, but is not expected to be taken up.

All of these incremental reforms come as legislators continue to pursue a broader legalization plan in the Commonwealth that would include a system of regulated and taxed sales and production.

The decriminalization bill that passed earlier this year contained a provision that called for the establishment of a working group to study and make recommendations about adult-use marijuana legalization. That panel has held several meetings and expects to issue its report to the legislature at the end of November.

Meanwhile, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is doing its own analysis on ending cannabis prohibition and will similarly report on its findings before the end of the year.

While some lawmakers plan to incorporate findings from those reports into a legalization bill in 2021, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus called for an expedited process and wanted lawmakers to approve the broad reform during the special session.
 

Virginia Governor Signs Marijuana Reform Bill As State’s First Medical Dispensary Prepares To Open


The governor of Virginia signed a modest marijuana reform bill into law this week, a move that comes days before the state’s first medical cannabis dispensary is set to open.

Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who approved legislation to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession earlier this year, put his signature on a bill that will allow people issued summonses for the offense to prepay their civil penalty rather than having show up in court.

The bill is one of several dealing with cannabis reform that have advanced in the Commonwealth during a special session. For example, Northam has until October 21 to act on separate legislation that’s also on his desk that would make it so police could not “stop, search, or seize any person, place, or thing solely on the basis of the odor of marijuana.”

Bills to facilitate the expungement of prior convictions, including for cannabis and other drugs, were also passed by lawmakers and have been sent to a bicameral conference committee, where House and Senate members have been appointed to negotiate and resolve differences between the chambers’ competing proposals.

Under the House measure, eligible convictions would be automatically expunged after a period of eight years. The Senate’s version, meanwhile, would allow people to petition to have their records cleared after a period of five years. The House bill covers more drug crimes, as well.

During the state’s regular legislative session earlier this year, the governor and legislators also expanded Virginia’s limited medical cannabis program.

And on that note, the first licensed medical marijuana dispensary, Dharma Pharmaceuticals, will be having its grand opening on Saturday, where activists with Virginia NORML will join in the celebration.

Because of a regulatory change to Virginia’s program that broadened the definition of what products cannabis patients can lawfully possess, organizations like NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project now consider the state to be the 34th in the U.S. to meet its definition for having an effective medical marijuana system.

All of these incremental changes come as legislators continue to pursue a broader adult-use legalization plan in the Commonwealth that would include a system of regulated and taxed sales and production.

The decriminalization bill that passed earlier this year contained a provision that called for the establishment of a working group to study and make recommendations about adult-use marijuana legalization. That panel is expected to issue its report to the legislature at the end of November.

Meanwhile, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is doing its own analysis on ending cannabis prohibition and will similarly report on its findings before the end of the year.

A bill to legalize marijuana was filed for the special session by a delegate running to replace the term-limited Northam in 2021, but it has yet to advance out of the committee to which it was referred.

The governor hasn’t expressed any particular interested in enacting the broader reform before he leaves office, but he is publicly embracing the state’s existing hemp and CBD industry.

On Thursday, Northam participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony at a major CBD extraction business in the state.
 

Sponsored by

VGoodiez 420EDC
Back
Top