Virginia becomes first Southern state to bungle cannabis legalization, advocates

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https://www.nbc12.com/2022/04/16/virginia-becomes-first-southern-state-bungle-cannabis-legalization-advocates-say/

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The medical cannabis market is thriving in Virginia, while the future of recreational cannabis, including hemp, is hazier.

Cannabis advocates and smokers are disappointed after a 2022 General Assembly session which saw lawmakers fail to expedite recreational cannabis sales and propose penalties for possessing amounts over 2 pounds—despite lawmakers making it easier to get a medical cannabis card.

“I think as far as the customer’s perception of the legislation goes, people are kind of angry,” said Christopher Haynie, co-founder of Happy Trees Agricultural Supply, which sells equipment to grow cannabis.

Retail sales up in smoke

The Republican-led House of Delegates refused to pass a bipartisan Senate bill through a subcommittee that would have expedited retail sales of cannabis to September rather than waiting until the initially proposed 2024 date.

Since certain aspects of the 2021 bill were not reenacted, it is unlikely that the retail cannabis market will open in 2024 as originally planned.

Haynie said the company’s customers fear large corporations will primarily control the recreational cannabis market. Happy Trees works with small cannabis farms that want to join the retail market but fear license fees, restrictions and bigger farms will outprice small batch operations.

“There seems to be the pervasive attitude amongst our customers who stay informed about this stuff that Virginia is poised to turn over the recreational cannabis market to corporate candidates and not give the little guy a chance to really get in,” Haynie said.

Lobbyists influenced Virginia legislators into believing that it is safer for several large corporations to produce the products rather than having hundreds of small batch operations, Happy Trees co-founder Josiah Ickes said.

“We have all these small breweries in Richmond,” Ickes said. “It would be kinda like if we said: ‘Oh, well look at all these small breweries, they need to go away because we don’t know if they’re creating safe beer.’”

People will continue growing their own cannabis or apply for medical cannabis patient cards since the General Assembly didn’t expedite retail sales, Haynie said.

Medical cannabis cards

Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently signed into law legislation that eliminates the requirement to register with the state Board of Pharmacy before being cleared to purchase medical cannabis products from approved sellers.

Del. Roxann L. Robinson, R-Chesterfield, introduced House Bill 933, which allows a patient to bypass obtaining a card from the Board of Pharmacy after getting a referral from a medical provider. Pharmaceutical processors and cannabis dispensing facilities will update the Board each month with new written certifications received by pharmaceutical processors or cannabis dispensing facilities, according to the bill.

The Board of Pharmacy issued 1,377 medical cannabis cards in 2019 after lawmakers approved the sale of low-dose THC oil. The following year, 7,135 cards were issued.

The number of cards issued grew to 33,340 in 2021, when the General Assembly approved the sale of cannabis flowers, or buds that are smoked, with a medical card. The Board has issued 10,055 cards as of early April. There are currently 6,000 pending applications, which fluctuate for various reasons according to Diane Powers, director of communications with the Virginia Department of Health Professions.