Gov. Youngkin Rejects Recreational Cannabis Sales

Updated 4.1.24 Gov. Youngkin dashed hopes for a recreational cannabis market in Virginia by vetoing SB448 and HB698. Those bills, which passed the General Assembly by narrow margins, would have allowed retail sales beginning in 2025. Yet again, businesses looking… Read more

February 26, 2024 | Cannabis Law | Labor & Employment

Virginia Seeks to Become the Next State to Decriminalize Possession of Psychedelic Mushrooms

After legalizing simple possession of marijuana less than 1 year ago, Virginia is seeking to become the next state, behind Oregon to decriminalize the possession of psilocybin or psilocyn, commonly known as psychedelic or “magic” mushrooms. Recent legislation introduced in… Read more

January 14, 2022 | Cannabis Law

SAFE Banking Act Removed from Defense Spending Bill

Marijuana Banking Legislation Update: The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, which would prohibit financial institutions from being penalized for doing business with marijuana companies, was stripped from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the omnibus spending bill pending… Read more

December 9, 2021 | Cannabis Law | Financial Services

Virginia’s JLARC Recommends Changes to Virginia’s New Cannabis Law

The Virginia General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review JLARC (JLARC) released a briefing comparing Virginia’s recently passed cannabis law to the recommendations in its study released in November 2020. For background on the 2020 study, review our previous article.… Read more

June 11, 2021 | Cannabis Law

Governor Northam’s Proposed Changes to Marijuana Legislation Would Legalize Simple Possession by July 1, 2021

On Wednesday, both houses of the Virginia General Assembly concurred in Governor Northam’s proposed amendments to recent marijuana legislation. These amendments allow adults 21 years of age and older to legally possess up to one ounce of marijuana beginning July… Read more

April 2, 2021 | Cannabis Law

Marijuana Legalization in Virginia: It’s Almost 4:20

By Anne G. Bibeau

After almost six years of tiptoeing around medical cannabis and decriminalization, Virginia appears poised to take the plunge into legalization of the recreational use of marijuana. On February 5, 2021, the General Assembly passed two bills that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana and is currently working to… Read more

February 15, 2021 | Cannabis Law

Changing Times – Recent Developments Give Cannabis Businesses New Optimism (Part 2)

Part 2 of a Two-Part Series In last week’s article we discussed some of the recent developments at the state, federal, and international levels that have given cannabis businesses new reasons to be optimistic in 2021. In this second of… Read more

December 17, 2020 | Cannabis Law

Changing Times – Recent Developments Give Cannabis Businesses New Optimism

The year 2020 has been like no other in recent memory, but as the second decade of the 21st century draws to a close, recent developments at the state, federal, and international levels have given cannabis businesses new reasons to… Read more

December 11, 2020 | Cannabis Law

Part 3: US Department of Agriculture Publishes Interim Final Rule on Domestic Hemp Production

Part III This article is the third in a three-part series discussing the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Interim Final Rule on the establishment of a domestic hemp production program recently published in the Federal Register (Rule). Perhaps recognizing… Read more

November 12, 2019 | Cannabis Law

Part 2: US Department of Agriculture Publishes Interim Final Rule on Domestic Hemp Production

Part II This article is the second in a three-part series discussing the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Interim Final Rule on the establishment of a domestic hemp production program recently published in the Federal Register (Rule). Under the… Read more

November 11, 2019 | Cannabis Law

Cannabis Law