Author: Julia Travers
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Virginia’s Decriminalization Didn’t Fix Racial Inequity in Cannabis Policing
Virginia’s legislature cleared both cannabis legalization bills on Feb. 16, with the Senate passing HB 2312, and the House of Delegates approving SB 1406. From here, representatives will hash out a compromise between the two bills, which still differ on several points, including the date of legalization. In 2020, Virginia decriminalized recreational possession up to…
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Advocates Call for Racial Equity Amendments to Virginia Cannabis Bills
Virginia’s House and Senate cannabis legalization bills have succeeded in their chambers and advanced to a special session that began Feb. 10. On Feb. 9, 25 advocacy groups led by the Virginia ACLU and Marijuana Justice wrote to Governor Ralph Northam and the legislature asking them to better center racial justice in their legislation. Other…
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Psychedelic Reform Movement Goes Federal, Spurred By D.C. Success
Among many changes underway in the nation’s capital, a new nonprofit seeks to increase understanding of and access to natural and synthetic psychedelic medicines at the federal level. The Plant Medicine Coalition (PMC) was co-founded and will be led by local advocate Melissa Lavasani. As chairwoman of Decriminalize Nature D.C., she proposed the successful Ballot…
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Virginia Bill Would Let Communities Opt Out of Cannabis Legalization
As Virginia’s 2021 cannabis legislation evolves and advances, one delegate sponsors a bill that would allow localities to opt out of legalization, potentially establishing a regulatory patchwork across the Commonwealth. HB 2315’s sole sponsor is Del. Daniel Marshall, a Republican from Virginia’s 14th District. Some advocates say allowing individual localities to opt out of legalization…
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Virginia Cannabis Debates: Summer Legalization and Equity Loopholes
As Virginia’s cannabis legislation moves through the 2021 General Assembly, lawmakers debate a legalization timeframe, and advocates call for stronger equity provisions. A delay of legalization until 2024 has been proposed in order to provide time to create a regulatory body and marketplace. On Jan. 26, Jenn Michelle Pedini, Virginia NORML executive director and NORML…
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The Virginia Cannabis Bills in Play in 2021
A cannabis legalization bill introduced by Governor Northam and top state Democrats is moving through the statehouse, along with a handful of other proposed cannabis bills in the 2021 Virginia General Assembly Session. The legislation deals with a wide range of topics including cannabis oil processing, taxing the new market, and record expungement. Northam’s recent…
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Legalize It Right: Advocates Critique Governor Northam’s Cannabis Plan
On Jan. 13, Governor Northam released a 400-page bill outlining a process to legalize recreational adult cannabis use in Virginia by 2023. The following evening, ACLU Virginia and Marijuana Justice hosted a discussion called, “Legalize Marijuana Right,” which featured local and national speakers from the cannabis space. While the online forum was planned before Northam’s…
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Joints for Jabs: Get Some Pot With Your Shot at D.C. Vaccination Sites
Advocacy group DC Marijuana Justice (DCMJ) will hand out baggies of weed to people who receive coronavirus vaccines as part of its recently-announced “Joints for Jabs” program. Cannabis treat bags will be provided by masked and gloved DCMJ volunteers, and will contain pot homegrown by DCMJ members that is pesticide and synthetic fertilizer-free. The organization…
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Can Prosecutors Drop Cannabis Cases? Virginia Supreme Court Won’t Weigh In, This Time
Prosecutorial discretion, the power of government prosecutors to choose which cases to pursue or dismiss, has been under scrutiny lately in Virginia, especially in regard to cannabis charges. In late 2020, the Supreme Court of Virginia declined to engage in a conflict between Arlington Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and county judges, over Dehghani-Tafti’s choice to…
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Virginia Governor Budgets for Cannabis Legalization as Richmond Mayor Calls for Equity
Cannabis legalization in Virginia is advancing rapidly—two of the latest strategic moves are the Governor’s budget proposal and a letter from the Richmond Mayor. On Dec. 16, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam included funding for legalization in proposed amendments to the 2020–2022 budget, following through on his official statement of support for adult-use legalization. Earlier in…