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.
