The newly formed joint commission tasked with overseeing Virginia's transition to a legal retail cannabis market held its inaugural meeting in Richmond Wednesday, launching what lawmakers described as the next chapter in the commonwealth's winding path toward a regulated marijuana industry.
Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax, who sponsored the House resolution creating the commission earlier this year, was elected chair during the meeting at the state Capitol. While no other formal action was taken, the panel laid out its mission and signaled it would use previously vetoed legislation as a foundation to craft a new proposal for 2026 — when Virginia will have a new governor. "Our goal is to create a successful approach to cannabis that's rooted in protecting the public, the principles of restorative justice, economic equity and public health," Krizek said in his opening remarks.
"The need is to regulate, control, and tax marijuana, to generate significant revenue dedicated to community reinvestment, create hundreds of new, small local businesses, strengthen Virginia's vital agricultural sector, and end the racially disparate impacts of prohibition."
The commission, which was established through House Joint Resolution 497 without needing the governor's signature, is set to operate through July 1, 2028. It will serve as a forum for public engagement and legislative planning, aiming to build consensus on cannabis policy amid shifting political dynamics in the state.
Read more at Virginia Mercury
