With a new General Assembly session just a few months away and a new governor taking office in January, state lawmakers and the local hemp industry are optimistic that 2026 might finally be the year Virginia gets a fully legalized adult-use marijuana market.
A General Assembly commission established to oversee the potential creation of the market held its first meetings this summer. The group is studying the topic and hearing from policy experts to help craft what could be the last in a series of bills in recent years that have sought to kick off the retail pot market after the legalization of adult-use use in 2021.
Del. Paul Krizek, chairman of the bipartisan commission, said in an interview that legislation expected to be introduced in 2026 would be informed by the work of prior years, and that he was bullish lawmakers would be able to juggle the myriad considerations that go into setting the stage for a successful industry.
"It's like doing a paper for school. The longer you have, the better you can make it. We're taking advantage of this time," Krizek said. "I'm optimistic we're going to get to a good place."
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