Category: Virginia
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Virginia Senate Committee Kills Psilocybin Decriminalization Bill
A nascent effort to decriminalize psilocybin in Virginia fell short Monday after a state Senate committee voted to indefinitely table the legislation. After two January hearings on SB 262, which would have lowered possession of psilocybin and psilocin from a felony offense to a misdemeanor punishable with a $100 civil fine, the Virginia Senate Judiciary…
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Virginia: Push To Decriminalize Psychedelics Falters, But Still Alive
A bill seeking to decriminalize possession of plant-based psychedelics in Virginia hit a snag this week in the House of Delegates, though counterpart legislation in the Senate remains alive and is headed for a committee vote next week. SB 262, co-sponsored by state Sens. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) and Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon), and HB 898, from…
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Virginia House Committee Shelves Bill To ‘Defelonize’ Drug Possession
Lawmakers in Virginia’s House of Delegates unceremoniously shelved a bill on Friday that would have reduced criminal penalties for the possession of drugs. In a 6-2 vote, the House’s Courts of Justice Subcommittee #1 approved a motion for HB 612 to be “laid on the table” – meaning the measure is now unlikely to be…
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Virginia: Bill To Decriminalize Psilocybin Draws Early Support From Lawmakers
Virginia lawmakers from both sides of the aisle on Wednesday expressed early support for a bill that would decriminalize possession of psychedelic mushrooms, so long as it’s specifically for medical uses. Senate Bill 262, co-sponsored by state Sens. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) and Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon), proposes to reduce the criminal penalty for possession of psilocybin…
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Virginia Lawmakers Propose Ban On Candy-Like Weed Edibles To Prevent Child Exposures
No more weed gummy bears? A pair of Virginia lawmakers wants to ban candy-like cannabis edibles that could appeal to children. Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Mount Solon) filed legislation co-sponsored by Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) last week that would prohibit the sale or manufacture of cannabis products “that depict or are in the shape of a…
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Virginia: Lack Of Cannabis Messaging In Governor’s Race A ‘Missed Opportunity’ For McAuliffe, Experts Say
As the race for Virginia governor enters its final stretch, Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin appear to be locked in a virtual dead heat, with a recent CBS poll putting the candidates just 3 points apart. The contest — widely seen as a bellwether for the 2022 midterms and a referendum on President…
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Sign-ups For Virginia’s Medical Weed Program Have Doubled In Six Months
While Virginia lawmakers work out a timeline for the launch of recreational cannabis sales, the state’s medical weed program continues to grow at a steady clip. Over the last six months, the number of people signed up for a medical cannabis card in the commonwealth has more than doubled — from 15,076 registered patients in…
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A Political Shake-Up Could Impact the Future of Pot Legalization in Virginia
Note: This story was first published by District Fray Magazine as part of a collaboration with The Outlaw Report on Take Me Down to Cannabis City, an insider’s guide to the legalization of cannabis in Virginia. Virginia took a big leap toward cannabis reform last spring by passing legislation that authorized pot possession and home…