Democrat lawmakers in Virginia say they are planning to again push for a cannabis sales bill next year despite the likelihood of such a proposal being vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Virginia Democrats Planning to Pursue Retail Cannabis Bill Next Year
Aerrial view night time at the capital building grounds in Richmond Virginia
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Virginia state lawmakers Del. Paul Krizek (D) and Sen. Aaron Rouse (D) are planning to revive their proposals to establish a legal, regulated cannabis marketplace for the 2025 legislative session even though Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed the same legislation in 2024, Virginia Public Media reports.
Democrats, however, still control the state Legislature, and the bill’s sponsors said lawmakers should press for establishing a regulated retail cannabis market as it would help to address public safety concerns that are shared across the aisle.
“Even though it’s highly unlikely the governor will not veto the bill, I don’t think we should give him a free pass, and I think it’s too important for the commonwealth.” — Krizek, via Virginia Public Media
Cannabis is legal in Virginia for adults aged 21+ to consume and possess under a 2021 legalization policy signed into law by then-Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat. The initial legislation, however, stopped short of establishing regulations for retail cannabis shops.
A spokesperson for the governor confirmed in the report that Youngkin would likely veto any proposal to regulate adult-use cannabis sales.
In his veto statement earlier this year, Youngkin noted that “the most concerning consequence of cannabis commercialization is its impact on adolescents and our children.”
Meanwhile, recent research based on the annual Monitoring the Future Survey found that cannabis use by American teenagers continued to decline in 2024 even as more states enacted adult-use reforms.
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