Virginia governor calls for legalized cannabis

Ralph Northam, governor of Virginia, said Monday that he wants the state to legalize cannabis. He will work with lawmakers to pass a reform bill in 2021.

Ralph Northam had campaigned on simple decriminalization, a policy which he signed into law earlier this year.

«We’re going to move forward with the legalization of cannabis in Virginia. I support this, and I’m committed to doing it the right way,» he said during a briefing, adding that it «won’t happen overnight.».

«Cannabis laws were originally based on discrimination, and redressing those wrongs means things like social equity licenses, access to capital, community reinvestment, and sealing or expunging people’s prior records,» Northam said.

The time has come to legalize marijuana in our Commonwealth, and Virginia will get this right.https://t.co/cmfqiAhW56

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- Governor Ralph Northam (@VAGovernor73) November 16, 2020

On the same day, a legislative committee tasked with studying the issue issued recommendations to lawmakers on how a legal cannabis market could be structured, including with regard to economic and social equity and public health. The commission members drew on the experiences of other states that have already legalized cannabis, as well as existing research on the subject.

«If Virginia legalizes cannabis, the General Assembly will have to make several policy decisions,» the committee said in its report. «The General Assembly should determine the legal limits on the amount of cannabis an individual may possess; where cannabis may legally be smoked or consumed; the legal age for cannabis use; and whether to allow individuals to grow their own plants. Lawmakers should also determine whether to adjust existing penalties for the illegal distribution and possession of amounts exceeding the legal limit.»

The group made 45 recommendations and also provided lawmakers with 29 «policy options» related to cannabis legalization. They based the recommendations on interviews with more than 100 stakeholders and more than 200 previous studies on the issue.

Here are some of their recommendations:

• By legalizing cannabis, the state would see an 84% reduction in cannabis-related arrests
• If the government legalizes and taxes cannabis sales at a rate of 25 to 30%, this could generate 154 to 308 million $ in revenue per year five years after implementation
• The cannabis program could also create more than 11,000 jobs by the fifth year
• Social equity in the industry could be promoted through various strategies. For example, Virginia could use certain tax revenues to support reinvestment programs for the communities most affected by the war on drugs. Lawmakers could also prevent vertical integration and provide loans to small businesses.
• The commission stated that its review of studies on legalization in other states shows that more people would use cannabis, but the evidence suggests that use among young people would remain the same or decrease.
• Local jurisdictions should have «substantial authority» over whether to regulate or authorize cannabis cultivation and processing facilities.
• The industry should be privatized, rather than controlled by the government
• Lawmakers should wait until the basic market infrastructure is in place before deciding whether to authorize cannabis delivery services or consumption in designated locations
• Allowing home cultivation would provide a low-cost option for consumers, and if lawmakers choose to allow it, they should set a limit of 2 to 6 plants per adult
• The commission also concluded that lawmakers should impose restrictions on cannabis labeling and advertising to discourage use among young people.