On April 8, Virginia became the first southern state to legalize the possession and use of marijuana by adults and the bill was signed into law July 1 by Gov. Ralph Northam.
“It is a huge day for equity in the Commonwealth,” said then-House Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, after an exhaustive legislative process putting together the 300-page bill that was introduced by Sen. Adam Ebbin and Senate President pro tempore Louise Lucas.
“Virginia is now the first state in the South to legalize recreational marijuana use, and I am so proud to have been able to carry this monumental legislation,” said Herring.
But not everyone was supportive of the decision.
“We are sending a message to our kids that it is okay to do drugs in Virginia now,” said Republican Sen. Amanda Chase of Chesterfield County.
“As a mom of four young adults I don’t like that message. I think it is selfish. I think it is reckless, and I think it is irresponsible.”
What worked
Record sealing
The primary principle of legalization is to reduce crime and end criminalization. Record sealing is one justice component that has happened. Marijuana infractions were automatically sealed on July 1. This follows the sealing of simple possession of marijuana records that were completed in 2020, according to the state agency website Cannabis Virginia.
According to an August 2021 report from the Virginia State Police, 333,806 records were sealed for simple possession. More than 64,651 charges of misdemeanor distribution were sealed, and approximately 395,747 entries of less serious infractions, invalid reports or non-mandatory reports were deleted altogether.
According to information provided by Sen. Ebbin’s office, Virginia State Police has begun work on that process, including meeting with relevant state entities and developing a scope of work to begin the public bidding process. The new database will replace a legacy database that is more than 30 years old and will improve data collection; provide unique capabilities to search, seal and/or expunge records while saving the commonwealth millions of dollars.
By July 1, 2025, all records, including arrests, charges, and convictions for simple or misdemeanor possession with the intent to distribute marijuana will be automatically sealed across all state and private databases, according to the state’s cannabis website.
Personal cultivation
As of July 1, 2021, adults 21 years old and older are legally permitted to grow up to four marijuana plants per household for personal use but thanks to half-baked legislation no one…
Credit:Source link