GOP Governor Youngkin Vetoes Virginia Cannabis Sales Bill 3 Years After Legalization, Sparking Democratic Outrage

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed legislation on Thursday that would have established a legal marketplace for cannabis, making good on his often repeated comments that he didn’t "have a lot of interest in it" even though the state legalized recreational marijuana nearly three years ago. In April 2021, Virginia became the first southern state to legalize marijuana under then-Democratic Governor Ralph Northam.

After vetoing identical bills that would have allowed the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to begin issuing retail licenses from Sept. 1, 2024, the Republican governor gave a righteous anti-cannabis response explaining his decision to scuttle the state's cannabis industry.

“Cannabis is bad for Virginia," Youngkin told 13News Now on Thursday.

"We see across other states that have retail markets for a while, a massive increase in adolescent usage, massive increase in child poisonings, and what that results from is an accessibility that is far greater than it would be otherwise. You couple this with the reality that cannabis today is so strong, and it's causing severe mental illness, especially in adolescent users.”

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Democrats Are Not Happy

The Dem-controlled General Assembly passed the legislation at the end of February, though Youngkin indicated he would not sign it.

Co-sponsors of the bill, State Sen. Aaron Rouse and House Rep. Paul Krizek called the governor's veto "dangerous and irresponsible" in a press release.

"Governor Youngkin's dismissive stance towards addressing Virginia's cannabis sales dilemma is unacceptable," Rouse said. "Public servants are obligated to tackle pressing issues, regardless of their origin or culpability. They cannot cherry-pick which problems to address."

Krizek stressed the gravity of the situation. "Governor Youngkin's failure to act allows an already thriving illegal cannabis market to persist, fueling criminal activity and endangering our communities. This veto squandered a vital opportunity to safeguard Virginians and will only exacerbate the proliferation of illicit products, posing greater risks to our schools and public safety."

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