Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) vetoed a bill on Tuesday to create an adult cannabis market after lawmakers rejected its replacement proposal last month.

Although she said during the campaign that she would sign a cannabis sales proposal, Spanberger’s veto continues a three-year precedent set by her predecessor, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who vetoed two measures to sell cannabis in 2024 and 2025. The measure does not guarantee further progress until the next legislative session207.

Of the governor the veto message claims the legislation “will create a retail market for cannabis products without the timeline, structure or resources to successfully implement it”.

Her replacement proposal sought to push back the market’s launch date from January 1, 2027, to July 1, 2027, reduce the number of retailers at launch, and increase penalties for criminal conduct.

Spanberger noted in a statement that she still shares the General Assembly’s “goal to create a safe, legal and well-regulated retail cannabis market in the Commonwealth,” but suggested the proposal sent by lawmakers lacked a “regulatory framework … fully prepared to provide strong oversight from day one.”

Sponsors of the legislation, Del. Paul Krizek (D) and Sen. Lashresce Aird (D), said that the veto only perpetuates the unusual situation in Virginia, where it is legal to possess and consume cannabis, but it cannot be traded commercially.

“Once again, Virginia’s efforts to create a safe, regulated and equitable adult-use cannabis market have stalled despite years of work, public input and widespread recognition that the status quo is failing Virginians.” – Aird, via the Virginia Mercury

The move follows Spanberger last week signed a bill establishing a sentencing process for certain convictions for cannabis-related crimes.

“Governor Spanberger’s veto of adult-use cannabis legislation is a serious mistake,” said Stephanie Shepard, executive director of The Last Prisoners Projectan organization that advocates for the release of individuals incarcerated for cannabis-related convictions. “It makes no sense for Virginia to recognize the harms of cannabis prohibition by signing marijuana back into law while continuing to block a regulated market for the same substance,” Shepard said in a statement. “Without legal adult sales, consumers are left vulnerable, small businesses are left on hold, and communities most affected by prohibition are denied a fair opportunity to participate in the legal cannabis economy.”

JM Pedini, Development Director of NORML and Executive Director of Virginia’s NORML chapter, also issued a statement condemning the veto:

“Governor Spanberger’s veto is a deep disappointment to the many Virginia voters who believed her when she said on the campaign trail that she supported creating a regulated adult-use cannabis market. It’s also a slap in the face to years of serious work undertaken by lawmakers, policy experts, advocates, public health experts, half public health stakeholders than half interest groups. while carefully debating and crafting this legislation, rather than building on that work, the Governor scrapped it in favor of unprecedented proposals to recriminalize cannabis users, proposals that lawmakers rightly rejected.

Sixty-seven percent of Gen Zers consume cannabis, with 28% reporting daily use, according to a EduBirdie Survey published last month. Eighteen percent of respondents said they use cannabis several times a week, with 8% saying they use it several times a month, 13% saying they only used cannabis on special occasions, and 6% saying they only tried cannabis once.

Twenty-seven percent of respondents said they have never tried cannabis.

Over a quarter (27%) said they spend between $50 and $100 a month on cannabis, while 21% spend between $100 and $200; 16% spend between $20 and $50; 12% spend less than $20; 11% spend between $200 and $500; 10% spend nothing; and 3% spend more than $500.

According to the survey, almost half (48%) had consumed cannabis before a family event, while 36% had consumed cannabis before a date; 26% had used cannabis before a work meeting; 27% had consumed before the exam; 25% before a job interview; 22% before a class or lecture; and 15% before a team building event. Twenty-nine percent of respondents said they had not used cannabis before a significant event.

The majority (55%) of respondents said they do not consume cannabis while working from home, in the office or on campus; while respectively 35%, 17% and 12% of the respondents have admitted that they have consumed cannabis in those countries.

The majority of respondents (53%) said they used cannabis to relieve stress, while 29% said cannabis improves creativity, 22% said it improves performance, 16% said it causes anxiety and 14% said cannabis causes forgetfulness. Only 2% of respondents said that cannabis had “no noticeable effects”.

Most respondents said that cannabis has no negative impact on their lives; however, 17% said they had spent money they could not afford on cannabis; 15% had serious arguments with their family about the use of cannabis; and 12% had suffered physically or mentally. The majority of respondents (68%) said they had never experienced negative effects from someone else’s cannabis use.

The survey also found that 42% of respondents were completely open about their cannabis use, while 13% said they hid it from a partner or family; 12% hid it from colleagues; and 10% hid it from their friends.

The survey included 2,000 US Gen Z participants (ages 21-29) recruited online.