VIRGINIA VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY BACK LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SALES, NEW POLL SUGGESTS
A recent survey conducted by The Wason Center at Christopher Newport University has found that a majority of registered voters in Virginia support legalizing and regulating recreational marijuana sales. The poll, released on Wednesday, indicates that 60% of respondents back the idea, with majorities of Democrats (74%) and independents (59%) in favor. However, only 38% of Republicans surveyed support the measure.
The poll also found that younger voters, aged 18-44, are more likely to support legalizing recreational cannabis sales, with 74% in favor, compared to 48% of those aged 45 and older.
The survey’s findings come as lawmakers in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate have recently approved bills to legalize and regulate the adult-use cannabis market. The proposals, which largely align with recommendations from the legislature’s Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market, aim to establish a commercial marijuana market in the state.
Virginia lawmakers have been working to establish a legal cannabis market since 2021, when they legalized the possession and home cultivation of marijuana. However, efforts to create a commercial market have been stalled due to opposition from former Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Advocates for marijuana reform, including JM Pedini, development director for NORML and executive director for Virginia NORML, argue that legalizing recreational marijuana sales is necessary to improve public safety and reinvest tax revenue in Virginia communities.
“Voters recognize the public safety urgency in taking marijuana out of the corner store and placing it behind age-verified dispensary counters,” Pedini said. “The illicit market has exploded in the absence of legal retail access. In addition to improving consumer safety, regulated sales will reinvest millions of tax dollars in Virginia communities and replace the underground market that drains local resources.”
The proposed legislation would allow adults to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana in a single transaction, or up to an equivalent amount of other cannabis products. The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority would oversee licensing and regulation of the new industry, and a tax of up to 12.625% would apply to retail sales.
Newly sworn-in Governor Abigail Spanberger has expressed support for legalizing adult-use marijuana sales, stating that the current gray area surrounding marijuana laws creates confusion and problems for Virginians.
