Virginia stood poised to become the first Southern state to legalize marijuana after lawmakers approved a bill aimed in part at ending disparate treatment faced by people of color in the criminal justice system.
The bill, sent to Gov. Ralph Northam, would permit possession and retail sales of pot effective in 2024. Some lawmakers and advocacy groups, however, complained the waiting period needlessly extends unjust treatment. The bill drew a thumbs down from the ACLU of Virginia.
Last week New Jersey officially legalized recreational marijuana when Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law three bills putting into effect a ballot question overwhelmingly supported by voters last year. More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia allow recreational marijuana use.
To read more, click on https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/02/28/virginia-lawmakers-vote-legalize-marijuana-2024/6859521002/