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Sponsors Of Virginia Marijuana Sales Legalization Bill Ask Colleagues To Reject Governor’s Amendments, Risking A Veto

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2 months ago

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Sponsors of Virginia bills to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana are urging lawmakers to vote this week to reject the governor’s proposed amendments to the legislation.

Last week, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) He proposed changes to the measure to legalize the trade in cannabis—including delaying the start of sales by six months, increasing taxes and introducing new criminal penalties for cannabis users.

Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D) and Del. Paul Krizek (D), who sponsored the Senate and House versions, respectively, of the bill to legalize the sale of cannabis, both told Marihuana Momenti that they want their colleagues to vote against the amendments when the legislature reconvenes on Wednesday, even though that could put Spanberger’s veto at risk when the measure returns to his desk.

“While the governor and I share the goal of establishing a safe and regulated market for cannabis, we differ on the best way to achieve it,” Aird said.

“As our conversations continue, I urge the governor to reconsider provisions that reintroduce punitive measures that undermine the intent of legalization, shift critical elements of the framework to an uncertain regulatory process, and remove key supports for affected licensees.”

Krizek noted, “A few years ago the legislature took bipartisan steps to end racially discriminatory marijuana policing here in Virginia.”

“But unfortunately, and probably unintentionally, because he has not been involved in this years-long process,” he said, “the governor’s proposed amendments would repeal some of these decriminalization laws and undermine what has been a thorough, thoughtful and balanced process of crafting this legislation with community and stakeholder engagement that has brought us to this more regulated and responsive cannabis framework.”

“When we legalized cannabis, it was in recognition of the disproportionate harm caused by the war on cannabis, especially among black families,” said the House lawmaker. “This bill was intentional in recognizing that, but much of that intentionality is lost with many of the amendments.”

Krizek told WTOP radio that he expected some of the governor’s corrections after meeting with him earlier this month, but was “surprised” by others that never came up during the debate.

The lawmaker said Spanberger is concerned about the “pretty draconian penalties” suggested in the bill, adding that because it suggests a full replacement version of the legislation, rather than piecemeal amendments, the House and Senate can take up or leave the package as a whole instead of considering each change individually.

The Legislature rejects the proposal Wednesday, and after the governor vetoes the original proposal, lawmakers would have to start with new bills in the 2027 session.

Krizek said in the radio interview that he believes the governor is “very open to dialogue and compromise.”

“We can do it next session. We can pass the bill that we know he’s going to sign, and let his administration know that I’m willing to work with him and make it happen,” he said. “We’re going to keep meeting, and we’re going to take a lot of those suggestions that he has in his version, and we’re going to see what we agree on.”

As for Spanberger’s proposed criminal penalties, however, Krizek said, “I’m not very hopeful about backing down on that front, but I think it’s just a matter of negotiating with him and explaining where we are and why.”

He also told Marihuana Momenti on Tuesday that he is “hopeful that with further discussion and negotiation we can find a compromise that will maintain a balance between justice and public safety.”

A spokesman for the governor say The Richmond Times-Dispatch said it is “committed to working with patrons to end the jobs,” and sidestepped the outlet’s question about whether it would veto the original bill if lawmakers bring it back this week.

Spanberger, for his part, responded Criticism of the cannabis amendments from bill sponsors and advocates saying that the suggested changes came after him He spoke with leaders of other states that have already established adult marijuana markets.

Personal marijuana possession and home cultivation have been legal in Virginia since 2021, but former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) twice vetoed bills to provide consumers with a way to legally purchase adult cannabis.

Here are other key details of cannabis bills:SB 542 and HB 642-Approved by the legislators and with the amendments proposed by the governor:

  • Lawmakers voted to allow adults to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana in a single transaction, or up to an equivalent amount of other cannabis products specified by regulators. This represents an increase from the current legal limit of 1 ounce. The governor, however, wants to raise the amount to only 2 ounces.
  • Under the Legislature’s plan, legal sales could begin on January 1, 2027, but the governor is proposing to push that back to July 1, 2027.
  • Lawmakers voted to impose a 6 percent excise tax on cannabis sales and 5.3 percent on retail sales and use, while allowing municipalities to impose an additional local tax of up to 3.5 percent. The governor’s plan is largely the same, though it would raise the excise tax to 8 percent starting July 1, 2029.
  • Under the legislation approved by lawmakers, the revenue would be allocated to the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund (30 percent), early childhood education (40 percent), the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Health Services (25 percent) and public health initiatives (5 percent). The governor, however, wants to direct all revenue to the general fund for purposes such as “early childhood education, behavioral health, public health awareness, prevention, treatment and recovery services, workforce development, reentry, indigent criminal defense and targeted reinvestment in historically disadvantaged communities.”
  • The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority would oversee licensing and regulation of the new industry, and would also take over oversight of hemp, which currently falls under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
  • Local governments could not allow marijuana companies to operate in their area.
  • Delivery services would be allowed.
  • Serving sizes would be limited to 10 milligrams of THC, with no more than 100 mg of THC per package.
  • The governor is proposing to make public use of marijuana a Class 4 felony instead of a civil violation punishable by a $25 fine under current law. It also seeks to make possession of cannabis by anyone under 21 a Class 1 felony, punishable by a mandatory minimum fine of $500 or 50 hours of community service, as well as a driver’s license suspension of at least six months. The illegal sale or distribution of 50 pounds or more of marijuana would be a Class 2 felony punishable by jail time.
  • The governor wants to eliminate support for the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund.
  • Existing medical cannabis operators could enter the adult use market if they pay a license conversion fee set at $10 million.
  • Cannabis businesses should implement peaceful labor agreements with their employees.
  • As approved by lawmakers, the bill would have directed a legislative committee to consider adding local consumer licenses and micro-enterprise cannabis event permits that would allow licensees to hold sales at farmers markets or pop-up locations, but the governor is proposing to remove that language.

Meanwhile, Spanberger also suggested significant amendments to differentiate the legislation resentence mitigation for people with prior marijuana convictions.

Separately, the governor signed several other reform bills this week, including measures protecting the parental rights of marijuana users and giving patients access to medical cannabis in hospitals.

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Concert Series Specials launched for state medical cannabis patients

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11 hours ago

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June 8, 2026

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Post Dispensary, Kentucky’s first medical cannabis dispensary, is connecting with patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Hopkinsville and surrounding areas by aligning unique specials with the region’s summer concert calendar. Located at 300 N Main St. in Beaver Dam, minutes from major highways connecting these vibrant cities.

This summer, The Post Dispensary is offering special pricing and incentives for Concert Series Events at the Beaver Dam Amphitheater, SPARKS in the Park 4th of July celebration and surrounding events, such as Owensboro’s ROMP Festival (June 24-27, 2026). Patients can stop by before or after shows for big savings.

“We’re more than just a booty,” said a dispensary representative. “From Owensboro’s world-class ROMP Festival to Beaver Dam’s Amphitheater events, we’re making it convenient and budget-friendly for patients in Owensboro, Henderson, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Hartford and beyond to combine our love of music with compassionate care and an affordable product.”

The Post Dispensary hosts regular Patient Guidance events on the second Saturday of every month. These units have professionals on hand to assess patients and issue written certificates at low cost, application support and expert consultations in a welcoming environment. The next Patient Drive aligns perfectly with summer travel patterns, making it easy for patients from Owensboro, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Madisonville, Henderson, Madisonville and surrounding towns to plan a trip to Beaver Dam that combines care with community and entertainment.

For more information:
Post-Dispensary
thepostdispensary.com/










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Missouri GOP Lawmakers Hope Trump’s Psychedelics Order Boosts Efforts To Allow Military Veteran Access In The State

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11 hours ago

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June 8, 2026

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“Congratulations to President Trump for stepping up and taking the lead on this. PTSD is a killer among veterans.”

By Rebecca Rivas, Missouri Independent

Missouri state representative Dave Griffith has spent the past five years researching how psychedelic-assisted therapy has helped veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

His last legislative session in the House ended this May, and he pushed legislation for the last time allow clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy in Missouri. In the final days of the session, the bill stalled in the Missouri Senate after passing the House with overwhelming support.

“I’m not going to be there next year, I’m term-limited,” said Griffith, a Republican who served as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Armed Services Committee. “It’s really about passing the torch to a lot of other veterans who are on the Veterans Commission and see the value in that.”

He was hopeful when he saw an announcement The US Department of Veterans Affairs announced last week a new clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy.or MDMA-assisted therapy. MDMA is a synthetic substance made in a laboratory, according to the department, and is also called “ecstasy” or “molly” in recreational use.

“Congratulations to President Trump for stepping up and taking the lead on this,” said Griffith of Jefferson City. “PTSD is a killer among veterans. If you just listen to the testimony that’s been happening over the last five years in the Missouri House, the life-changing it’s been for them is a compelling reason why something like this works.”

A new trial follows Trump signed an executive order in April, “Expediting Medical Treatment for Serious Mental Illness.” The order aims to increase participation in clinical trials and accelerate innovative research models and drug approvals for psychedelics.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate at least $50 million to support and collaborate with state governments that “have established or are developing programs to advance psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness.”

Without passing the legislation, Missouri will miss this opportunity, said Republican state representative Matthew Overcast of Ava.

Cloud hoped that Trump’s April order would help “grease the wheels” this year by state Rep. Richard West and state Rep. Richard West who sponsored the state to conduct a study on psilocybin and ibogaine therapy.

“The last couple of months there’s been a lot of feds on things that the states are reluctant to move forward with here,” Overcast said. “So it’s exciting.”

According to the VA’s announcement, the department is involved in 19 other active clinical trials focused on psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions that have received more than $23 million in outside funding.

The new trial, called “A Randomized Controlled Trial of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder in US Veterans,” will enroll about 80 veterans and compare outcomes between those receiving MDMA-assisted therapy and those receiving the same psychotherapy with an active placebo. VA is coordinating with the US Food and Drug Administration and plans to share trial data with FDA.

The trial will be conducted at the VA Providence Healthcare System, and will recruit veterans from the Providence, Rhode Island, campus in West Haven, Connecticut, and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.

Trump’s executive order says there have been more than 6,000 veteran suicides per year for more than 20 years, and the current veteran suicide rate is twice that of the adult non-veteran population.

He says people with major depressive disorder and substance abuse disorder, among other serious mental illnesses, may relapse or fail to respond fully to standard medical and psychiatric therapies.

“Despite significant federal investment in research into potential advances in mental health care and treatment, our medical research system has yet to produce approved therapies that promote lasting improvements in the mental health status of the most complex patients,” the order states. “Innovative methods are needed to find long-term solutions for these Americans beyond existing prescription drugs.”

Missouri veterans John and Kara Grady, who own a hemp shop in Rosebud, strongly agree with the statement, they said. And they’d like to see Missouri’s veterans health system participate in clinical trials already underway.

“President Trump is opening up investigations for the veteran community,” said John Grady, “If you look at the numbers … we’ve lost more in the wars with mental health than we’ve lost.”

The lack of movement on psychedelic-assisted therapy legislation is among the reasons why John Grady is running for state representative over Bruce Sassmann in the state’s Republican primary.

“If you don’t agree with Trump on everything, at least he’s addressing this veteran issue right here,” Grady said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to stop that number, we’ll stop that flow of our precious veterans dying by their own hands because they don’t have treatment.”

This story was first published by the Missouri Independent.

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Germany’s medical cannabis imports post first quarterly decline since early 2024

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1 day ago

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June 7, 2026

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German imports of medical cannabis flowers fell to 50.5 tonnes in the first quarter of 2026, down from 60.8 tonnes in the previous quarter, the decline from the first quarter of 2024. According to a new EU and UK market update from Whitney Economics.

The drop lands against a year that went backwards. Germany took in more than 2025 tonnes of the product in 2025, more than double the 72,850 kilograms recorded in 2024, and import volumes have risen every year since 2018, when the figure remained below 4,500 kilograms. The first quarter number continues to match the high pace of 2025, which is why the report treats it as an early sign of stabilization rather than a turnaround.

Prices
The volume has not created a stable price. A gram of cannabis in a German pharmacy is approaching 4 euros, while a gram on the illegal market is around 8 euros, reversing the usual relationship between regulated and unregulated supply. The wholesale price is around 2 euros per gram, roughly half the retail price at the pharmacy. Pharmacy prices breached 3.99 euros in November 2025, and the report puts the overall compression close to 25% in two and a half years.

Germany legalized ownership in 2024 and restricted sales to pharmaceutical and telemedicine providers. Two access roads run parallel. Medical cannabis is mainly prescribed through private prescriptions, and recreational cannabis is available through membership of a cannabis association, with 400 licensed cultivation associations across the country, although the exact count varies by source. It is the medical segment that drives market growth, not the recreational segment.

Growth is based on telemedicine
 Patients fill out an online questionnaire, receive a prescription from an affiliated physician, and in many cases have their order filled through an integrated pharmacy partner, with delivery within days and, in some cities, within hours. Between 600,000 and 700,000 self-employed consumers are supported by the telemedicine industry, compared to 200,000 to 300,000 medical patients supported by pharmacies. Total imports are now sufficient to supply between 900,000 and one million consumers.

© Philiprowe | Dreamstime

Market exposure
Critics argue that commercial interests risk overshadowing the medical nature of the system, and treatment does not always meet the required standard of control. Legislative initiatives that would tighten the framework are already on the table, including mandatory in-person inquiries and a ban on distribution of mail requests. The likely result of both measures is a significant decline in demand for medical cannabis flowers. Many telemedicine companies are preparing for the opportunity by building networks with local doctors and pharmacies.

Where patients and consumers would go if medical access is curtailed is an open question, as the recreational market lacks a real alternative for patients and cannabis clubs continue to face licensing hurdles at the state level.

Part of the difficulty in reading the market is that import figures say less than they seem. More cannabis is entering the country than ever before, but how much is reaching consumers and what the actual demand is is unclear. Without a nationwide data framework, the market functions as a black box, and excess supply and actual demand are difficult to measure with great precision. Supply has tended to expand faster than the market can absorb, with no forecast to confirm mature demand, and prices have adjusted downward as a result.

Germany has had a signal effect across Europe since the start of its reform, although its model has drawn criticism, with the mixing of medical and recreational consumption a recurring complaint. Countries that have traditionally taken a conservative line, France among them, have gone to a more formalized medical field, under stricter conditions and without adopting the medical flower like Germany.

For more information:
Whitney Economics
Beau Whitney
(503) 724-3084
www.whitneyeconomics.com

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