Majority Of Virginia Voters Back Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Sales As Lawmakers Advance Bills To Do It
As Virginia lawmakers advance legislation to expand the state’s current marijuana law by legalizing and regulating recreational sales, a new poll shows that they have the support of a majority of registered voters. Sixty percent of respondents in the survey released on Wednesday by The Wason Center at Christopher Newport University support allowing retail adult-use cannabis sales.
That includes majorities of Democrats (74 percent) and independents (59 percent), though only 38 percent of Republicans are on board
Voters between the ages of 18 and 44 are much more likely (74 percent) to back legalizing recreational cannabis sales than are those above 45 years old (48 percent), according to the poll. The survey results come as committees in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate have recently approved bills to legalize and regulate the adult-use cannabis market.
Here are the key details of the Virginia marijuana sales legalization legislation:
Retail sales could begin on November 1, 2026 under the House version and January 1, 2027 under the Senate bill.
Adults would be able to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana in a single transaction, or up to an equivalent amount of other cannabis products as determined by regulators.
The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority would oversee licensing and regulation of the new industry. Its board of directors would have the authority to control possession, sale, transportation, distribution, delivery and testing of marijuana.
A tax of up to 12.625 percent would apply to the retail sale of any cannabis product. That would include a state retail and use tax of 1.125 percent on top of a new marijuana-specific tax of 8 percent. Local governments could levy an additional 3.5 percent.
Tax revenue would be split between the costs of administering and enforcing the state’s marijuana system, a new Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund, pre-kindergarten programs, substance use disorder prevention and treatment programs and public health programs such as awareness campaigns designed to prevent drug-impaired driving and discourage underage consumption.
Local governments could not opt out of allowing marijuana businesses to operate in their area.
Delivery services would be allowed.
Serving sizes would be capped at 10 milligrams THC, with no more than 100 mg THC per package.
Existing medical cannabis operators could enter the adult-use market if they pay a $10 million licensing conversion fee.
Cannabis businesses would have to establish labor peace agreements with workers.
Newly sworn-in Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) supports legalizing adult-use marijuana sales.
“Right now is that we live in this gray space where there’s some legality to marijuana, there’s some illegality,” she said ahead of taking office. “There’s a lot of questions—a lot of confusion—and that creates real problems for Virginians who might currently have the legal ability to buy it for medicinal needs, or for those who might try to fall under the personal use.”
