Today marks the one year anniversary of legalization in Virginia and multiple changes to marijuana law take effect.

Governor Ralph Northam has signed House Bill 1862 into law, which provides employment protections for state-registered medical cannabis patients.

The new law prohibits employers from discharging, disciplining, or otherwise discriminating against employees for their lawful use of medical cannabis while away from the job. The measure does not restrict an employer’s ability to impose sanctions upon employees if they are under the influence of cannabis while at work, nor does it limit an employers ability to restrict employees from possessing cannabis while at work. The new law takes effect July 1, 2021.

Virginia House of Delegates and Senate lawmakers have passed House Bill 2218 and Senate Bill 1333 amending the state’s medical cannabis program to allow for the production and dispensing of botanical cannabis. The bills await action from Governor Ralph Northam, who is expected to sign the measure into law.

Under the Commonwealth's existing medical cannabis law, licensed cultivators are required to process cannabis into extraction-based formulations, such as oils and tinctures. The new measure expands the pool of legal products to include those composed either of "cannabis oil or botanical cannabis."

Richmond, VA: Broad changes to marijuana laws swept through the 2020 Virginia General Assembly. Today, the legislature approved SB2 and HB 972 to decriminalize marijuana possession. Those in possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for personal use will no longer be subject to criminal prosecution and will instead face a maximum $25 civil penalty. The bipartisan, bicameral effort led by Senator Adam Ebbin (D-30) and House Majority Leader Delegate Charniele Herring (D-46), also allows for the sealing of records for misdemeanor arrests, charges, convictions, and deferred dispositions for marijuana possession from employers and schools, and redefines extractions previously considered hashish as marijuana. The legislation now heads to Governor Ralph Northam’s desk for approval.