ROANOKE, Va. – Marijuana advocates knew the time would come for Gov. Youngkin to veto a bill that would have allowed the recreational retail sales of marijuana to begin next year.
Gov. Youngkin said legalizing the recreational sale of marijuana would only hurt the Commonwealth.
“Cannabis is bad for Virginia. Other states that have done this have seen a massive increase in child poisonings, adolescent use, a massive increase in gang activity because the black market does not go away,” Youngkin said.
Despite knowing the fate of the bill, advocates like Derek Wall with the Virginia Cannabis Association are still calling out Youngkin’s decision.
“He really should have considered the alternative of which we’re now going to face. The illicit market is going to flourish. It has flourished for that last, two, three, four years and maybe even beyond that,” Wall said.
Virginia legalized cannabis in 2021, allowing people 21 and older to possess small amounts. And while Virginians can buy cannabis at dispensaries through the state’s medical program, there’s no way to buy it for recreational use as lawmakers didn’t pass a framework for retail sales.
Youngkin was clear about his utter disinterest in signing the cannabis market bill.
“You shouldn’t be surprised. I have been communicating since the beginning of session that I have no interest in this bill,” Youngkin said.
Under the bill Youngkin axed, legal retail weed sales would have started in May 2025 with applications for dispensaries available in September. It would have subjected products to an 11.625% tax rate and allowed up to 350 retail stores in Virginia.