New Virginia governor has concerns about cannabis

Virginia made history last year when it became the first state in the south to legalize recreational pot, but that came at a time when the Democrats controlled state government.

Now that Republican Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin will take office in less than two weeks and the GOP is poised to take control of half of the General Assembly, the state of legalization in the Commonwealth looks a little more unclear than it will be in nine months.

But in a new interview, Youngkin says he won’t quite pull the plug on the new law.

“I’m not going to try to repeal the personal property law,” Youngkin said in an interview with Virginia Business released on Friday.

When it comes to setting up a new marijuana market, however, the new governor is less sure.

“When it comes to commercialization, I think there is still a lot to be done. I’m not against it, but there is still a lot to do, ”said Youngkin in an interview. “There are some non-starters, including the forced union formation included in the current bill. Law enforcement agencies have raised concerns about how to actually enforce the loophole. Finally, we really need to make sure that we are not promoting anti-competitive industries. I understand that there are preferences to ensure that all participants in the industry are qualified to do the industry well. “

Last April, outgoing Virginia Governor Democrat Ralph Northam signed a law legalizing cannabis possession for adults 21 and older. The bill was passed weeks earlier by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly, making possession of up to an ounce of cannabis legal from July 1, 2021.

“What this really means is that people are no longer arrested or punished for simple possessions that follow and affect their lives,” Northam said at the time. “We know that marijuana laws in Virginia and across the country have been disproportionately enforced against colored communities and low-income Virginians.”

The act also created a framework for creating a market for cannabis growing and selling, though such companies were likely years away from opening their doors to customers.

The Northam government has stated that the newly created Cannabis Control Authority, authorized under the new Virginia Marijuana Industry Regulation, “is working to establish a fair and equitable regulatory structure and provide critical guidance to the CCA staff Development of a workforce. Establish regulations and ensure that marijuana legalization meets statutory health, safety and equity goals. “

According to the CCA, “it will not be legal to sell marijuana before 2024” and that “until then it will be a crime to sell a lot of marijuana”.

“If the licensing terms of the bill are re-enacted (re-approved) at the 2022 General Assembly session, you can likely apply for a marijuana business license in 2023,” its website said.

Youngkin’s comments may cast doubt on the prospect of commercialization. In November, he defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe and became the next governor, while Republicans regained control of the House of Representatives. (Democrats still retain a slim majority in the Senate.)

In his interview with Virginia Business, Youngkin, who will be sworn in as governor on Jan. 15, spoke favorably of some of the opportunities that legal cannabis sales offer.

“I’m for opportunities for minority owned businesses, women owned businesses [and] Military-owned company, ”said Youngkin. “We also need to make sure they have the skills to compete in the industry and be successful. So I think there is still a lot to be done. All of this will be on the table. Again, I’m not trying to overturn the bill, but I think we have to make sure it works. “