Category: Virginia
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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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Episode 13: What’s Next for Cannabis Reform in the DMV?
For the Season One finale, Scott and Brandon reflect on cannabis reform in 2020 and the recent coup attempt at the Capitol. They go on to discuss what’s next for cannabis reform in 2021 in the DMV, including the implications of potential DC statehood and the legalization bills working their ways through the legislatures in…
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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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Third Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary Opens in Virginia
Virginia’s third medicinal cannabis dispensary, Beyond/Hello, opened its doors on December 1 in Manassas. The 93,000 square foot warehouse is located off Highway 66 and about half a mile from the George Mason University science campus. Beyond/Hello was one of five dispensaries, or “pharmaceutical processors”, selected out of 51 applicants by the Virginia Board of…