Senator Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) noted the bill appeared to split regulatory authority between the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the new Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. Because of the relaxed state and federal regulations on industrial hemp, enterprising shopkeepers have begun selling synthetic marijuana alternatives manufactured from hemp. This is despite the fact that Democrats made Virginia the first state in the South to allow possession of small amounts of pot. Support for the idea was more divided in the state Senate, where some Democrats voiced concerns that it would lead to a more complex cannabis regulatory framework. Yet, there is currently nowhere in the state where you can legally buy marijuana other than through the medical cannabis program.
On Friday, the Virginia General Assembly passed a bill that would strengthen the permitting system and impose stricter labeling standards on hemp-derived goods containing psychoactive THC.
Under the proposed legislation, it would still be against the law to sell marijuana to the general public. The bill’s backers say it’s an important first step towards addressing safety and consumer protection issues with uncontrolled THC products like the increasingly popular delta-8 edibles.
House of Delegates Majority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, said, “I think this will go a long way in making sure that our communities are secure and that persons...
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