NORFOLK, Va. — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed legislation on Thursday that would establish a legal marketplace for marijuana in the Commonwealth.
The identical bills — Senate Bill 448 and House Bill 698 — would have allowed the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to start issuing marijuana licenses on Sept. 1, 2024. Retail sales wouldn't have started until May 1, 2025, though.
"Cannabis is bad for Virginia," Youngkin told 13News Now in an interview on Thursday. "We see across other states that have retail markets for a while, a massive increase in adolescent usage, massive increase in child poisonings, and what that results from is an accessibility that is far greater than it would be otherwise. You couple this with the reality that cannabis today is so strong, and it’s causing severe mental illness, especially in adolescent users. Cannabis use disorder is so prominent, the incidents of psychosis are going through the roof, it’s terrible for children and adolescents."
The Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed the legislation at the end of February, but Youngkin, a Republican, has indicated he wouldn't sign it.
Virginia became the first Southern state to legalize marijuana in 2021, allowing people ages 21 and up to possess small amounts of the drug. However, the state has never allowed the sale of the drug.
The legalization of marijuana sales became a high priority for Democrats after they regained a majority in the Virginia House of Delegates and kept control of the Senate in the 2023 elections.
Advocates of the legislation, including State Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), argued that clear laws and regulations would protect communities from black market sales of the drug. Youngkin however claims the black market does not go away and that criminal activity increases instead.
"In California, only 10% of the cannabis market is represented by regular retail market," Youngkin claimed, adding that gang activity escalates as a result.
"The damage done potentially to Virginia's health and public safety is enormous," he added.
Youngkin also took issue with the idea that marijuana tax revenue would benefit Virginia, claiming Colorado spends $4.50 combating the effects of legalization for every dollar gained in taxes. The figures he cited align with a 2018 Colorado Christian University report that has been criticized by marijuana legalization advocates, including the Marijuana Policy Project.
"The idea that the taxes will pay for everything is unfounded," Youngkin told 13News Now.
13News Now also asked Youngkin if there was a version of the bill he would have signed or sent back to the legislature with amendments.
“I’ve been clear from the beginning of the session, I don’t have any interest in creating a retail marketplace for cannabis for all the reasons," Youngkin said.
Youngkin's veto on Thursday is yet another Democratic priority the Republican governor has thwarted, including most recently, 30 pieces of gun control legislation. He has also clashed with the Democrats over the proposed state budget and the now-nixed sports arena proposal in Alexandria.
The Virginia Mercury reports that legalization of marijuana sales was on the bargaining table while lawmakers negotiated the Alexandria arena, which would have lured the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the NBA’s Washington Wizards from Washington, D.C.
The arena deal officially fell through Wednesday, after which Youngkin issued a statement expressing frustration at Virginia lawmakers with "personal and political agendas."
Democrats in both chambers criticized Youngkin's veto, including Rouse, who called it "nothing short of irresponsible."
"This veto blocks a pivotal opportunity to advance public health, safety, and justice in our Commonwealth," Rouse wrote in a statement. "By dismissing this legislation, the Governor is ignoring the will of the people and the extensive efforts of lawmakers to bring about a responsible and regulated approach to cannabis. His decision is a setback for Virginia, delaying progress and perpetuating the issues we've worked so diligently to solve."
Don Scott, the Democratic speaker of the House of Delegates, also wrote a statement criticizing the governor.
"As for cannabis, in Virginia it’s a multi-billion dollar illicit market, and not legalizing it doesn’t do anything to help anyone," Scott said. "If we legalize adult use, we can regulate it, tax it, and keep it away from kids. It’s reckless not to create a legal market in the Commonwealth."