House Democratic leaders said Friday that they support accelerating the timeline for legalization of simple possession of marijuana to this summer, yielding to advocacy from civil rights groups who say it is key to addressing the disparate harm marijuana laws have on people of color.
House leaders say they would back an amendment to the legislature’s marijuana legalization bill that would sanction possession of up to an ounce of marijuana on July 1 — an about-face from their stance during the legislative session.
The change would come in the form of an amendment from Gov. Ralph Northam, who said in an interview with Virginia Public Media that he is supportive of the idea.
“The time to act is now,” said House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, in a statement. She added that the House also supports accelerating expungements and private cultivation.
“Change is long past due and it cannot wait,” she said.
Wednesday is the deadline for Northam to propose amendments to the legislation. Lawmakers reconvene April 7 to consider the governor’s proposed amendments and any vetoes.
House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, who sponsored the House version of the bill, expressed her support on Twitter. Herring had previously argued that legalization before sales become legal in 2024 could result in the illicit marijuana market ballooning to a point that would endanger the ability of the new legal market to thrive. [Read more at Richmond Times-Dispatch]
The post Virginia House Democrats back legalization this summer of small amounts of marijuana; Northam supportive appeared first on Cannabis Business Executive – Cannabis and Marijuana industry news.
