The Commonwealth can't discover frequent floor on hashish. Within the newest in one other back-and-forth between the Virginia Legislature and the governor's workplace, Governor Glenn Youngkin not too long ago vetoed a invoice that might have allowed, taxed and controlled the sale of grownup hashish. Governor Youngkin defended the choice by arguing that marijuana gross sales pose a public well being and security threat to Virginians.
Our pals at regulation 360 be aware that:
The veto comes as Virginia enters its fourth consecutive 12 months of hashish authorized limbo. The state underneath Democratic management legalized the drug for private use and possession in 2021, however after Republicans gained the Virginia Home of Delegates and the governor in November, lawmakers haven’t carried out a regulated market.
So what's the issue? Governor Youngkin publicly said that he was in opposition to using hashish for adults due to the perceived opposed impacts on “adolescent well being and security, elevated exercise of gang and violent crimes, the numerous deterioration of psychological well being, the lower in street security and the numerous prices related to retail marijuana that far exceed the tax income.”
However why, conscientious readers might ask, does the legislature not override the veto? A good query, however it seems that the laws was handed with a easy majority in each homes and there’s not sufficient help to override the veto with the required supermajorities.
This isn’t the primary time that the manager and legislative branches have switched events and created an analogous drawback:
In 2021, Virginia made historical past as the primary state within the southern United States to legalize marijuana for grownup leisure use, when the Legislature authorised the legalization proposal offered by then-Gov. . Ralph Northam, a Democrat. The regulation legalized the possession and use of hashish for adults 21 and older, however contained a repeal clause that required state lawmakers to re-approve elements of the laws that targeted on licensing hashish sellers. regulated hashish and different companies.
When Republicans took management of the Home of Delegates and the governorship within the November 2021 elections, the struggle in opposition to the state's regulated hashish gross sales market took a again seat. Whereas underneath GOP management, the chamber overturned a number of legislative efforts aimed toward establishing a regulated hashish market.
A hashish regulation invoice handed the Democratic-controlled state Senate in 2023 on a largely cut up 24-16 vote, with two Republicans becoming a member of the Democratic majority to approve the invoice and no Democrats voting in opposition to it, solely to die in a GOP. -Managed Home of Delegates subcommittee.
Earlier than that, in 2022, Republicans in a subcommittee of the Virginia Home defeated with a celebration vote 5-3 a invoice that might have carried out a regulated hashish marketplace for adults.
The success of Democrats in retaking management of each chambers of the Virginia Normal Meeting on Election Day 2023 has given hashish reform advocates renewed hope to see the start of regulated gross sales within the state, an effort that stalled underneath two years of Republican Home management.
It's too early to inform what comes subsequent, however it appears unlikely that Governor Youngkin will change his thoughts or that the legislature will override the veto. That is clearly unhealthy information for grownup advocates in Virginia, however it's a helpful view of the state of the controversy — particularly within the South.
FWIW, Thomas Jefferson (the patron of the commonwealth) was additionally into hashish. It makes you assume. We are going to stand on it.
