Marijuana Laws
Virginia Marijuana Laws Made Easy for You
April 17, 2018 - Marijuana Laws
Virginia: Her Western Sister Might be Your Best Bet
Virginia marijuana laws used to be known for having a pretty light penalty for cultivation, with up to a $500 fine, as well as a maximum of 30 days of incarceration, for possessing small amounts. Now, of course, the whole country is shifting to be more lenient, so this is some antiquated goodness. As things stand now, there’s still a provision for losing your license with possession offenses, and the reversal of that – along with decriminalization – failed to pass in 2015.
Medical marijuana in Virginia has been a hot topic going all the way back to 1979, when the state legalized recommendations for the plant in cases of glaucoma, or to treat chemotherapy side effects. This means that a doctor can recommend it to a patient, who will then have to travel out-of-state, to obtain it from a place where it is legal. In 2015, CBD oils and THC-A oils were legalized to be used as medicine, and 2016 allowed the distribution of said oils within the state. Is marijuana legal in Virginia? Nope, but they have two legal forms of cannabinoid oils, instead of the usual one.
Current Legal Status in Virginia
- Medical Marijuana in Virginia: CBD and THC-A only, since 2015
- Recreational Virginia Marijuana Laws: Still illegal
- Policy group(s) active in state: Virginia NORML, Virginia Cannabis Group
- Politician(s) leading legislative reform: Tom Garrett, Don Beyer, Bobby Scott
- Top brand(s) based in state: None
- Tax revenue generated by legalization of any marijuana: $0
Virginia definitely has a long way to go, when it comes to catching up with the rest of the country, but even Tom Garrett – who doesn’t necessarily support decriminalization, due to his own morals – sponsored a bill for it, because he knows the attitude of the people has changed, and he wants Virginia marijuana laws to catch up to that. Bobby Scott is another vocal support of medical marijuana in Virginia, so show these guys some support, in their efforts to get Virginia’s cannabis looking like the rest of the country (or at least more like West Virginia).
Virginia at least acknowledges there could be some medical benefits with cannabis, but they need to start changing their laws for the better. You can figure out which states around have better policies and see all US marijuana laws here!