Hemp farmers are hopeful state lawmakers will get something passed in 2026 to offer a way forward. At first, there was progress. The United States passed the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp cultivation. Then, Virginia made it legal for adults to possess and grow marijuana for personal use in 2021.
Many hemp growers thought a legal retail market for pot would shortly follow, said Jason Blanchette, a hemp grower in Hampton Roads and president of the Virginia Cannabis Association. It didn't.
"You had a product that was completely legal to possess, to grow at home, to share with your friends, but you had no legal way to buy a safe and regulated part of that product," Blanchette said. "It just made no sense."
Five years later, there still isn't a way to legally buy and sell cannabis for personal use in the state. The resulting policy gap has been a nightmare for regulators, lawmakers and law enforcement, Blanchette said. It hasn't been great for growers, either.
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