Democratic lawmakers in the General Assembly of Virginia are now in support of making recreational marijuana legal effective July 1, 2021, instead of having to wait until 2024 when a regulated market for the same is launched. This comes as Senate leaders push for an amendment to the law passed earlier in February stating that marijuana would only be legal in 2024 after the necessary mechanisms to regulate the market are established.
The provision to tie the legalization of marijuana to the date when licensed cannabis businesses can open was a major disappointment to marijuana advocates, and they made their views heard on this matter across the state. They were of the view that such a lengthy delay would only exacerbate the racial problems witnessed as marijuana laws are implemented by law enforcement agencies.
Such a continuation was, according to the campaigners, in stark contrast to the claims that the legalization law was intended to redress the disparities in enforcing laws within the state.
The bill that passed in February is now on the desk of Gov. Northam, and advocates are pleased that he has added his voice to those of the concerned groups that want the legalization date adjusted to this year rather than 2024.
While speaking to VPM News, Northam stated that he wasn’t in support of the continued arrest of members of society over a substance that is scheduled to be legalized anyway. He added that he had plans to present several amendments to the state legislature so that the needed changes to the bill could be made.
The legalization bill that the Senate sent to the Assembly had a provision indicating that the legal possession of marijuana, which didn’t exceed an ounce, could be legalized on July 1 this year, but the General Assembly struck out that provision saying that it could allow the black market operators to entrench themselves in the absence of licensed retailers of cannabis.
Now that the leadership in the House has changed its position on this provision, it is expected that the changes Gov. Northam hinted at will not meet any resistance. This comes after Chamiele Herring, the Majority Leader in the General Assembly, revealed that she was in support of moving the legalization date forward as long as plans were made to conduct public education and safety campaigns.
The governor now has until Wednesday to send his amendments to the legislature so that the House can consider those recommendations on April 7.
Marijuana companies that open shop in Virginia once legalization is implemented will most likely enjoy similar benefits enjoyed by those in other jurisdictions where marijuana is legal. A case in point is Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) (OTCQB: PACRF) (FSE: 4XM), which has managed to ensure profitability despite the stiff competition on the Canadian cannabis market. The company succeeds by specializing in high-end genetics that yield superior products.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) (OTCQB: PACRF) are available in the company’s newsroom at http://cnw.fm/PACR
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