PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — After a series of political negotiations, vetoes, and compromises, Virginia has charted a course for the legal sale of recreational marijuana. The newly signed state budget lays the groundwork for a regulated cannabis marketplace.
Key details you should know:
Virginia has scheduled the start of regulated retail marijuana sales for July 1, 2027, as per House Bill 30. The Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) is currently involved in formulating the necessary regulations and setting up a process for businesses eager to enter the marijuana retail industry.
This bill, House Bill 30, will also transition the duties related to regulated hemp products from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to the CCA, expected by August 2026. Hemp Product Rental Facility Registrations will continue to be valid until their respective expiration dates.
Retailers registered to sell hemp products and industrial hemp growers will be receiving communications from VDACS, outlining how these imminent legislative and administrative shifts will impact their operations.
The legislation eliminates the “25:1 ratio” that allowed a hemp product to exceed two milligrams of total THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) if the product contained 25 parts CBD (cannabidiol) for every one-part THC. Beginning August 15, a product with more than two milligrams of total THC per package cannot be produced or sold as a hemp product in Virginia.
Senate Bill 543 gives the CCA new authority to enforce Virginia’s cannabis laws, such as taking enforcement action against unlicensed cannabis and hemp businesses and issue notices of violation, cease and desist orders and civil penalties.