A survey was sent to all Board of Supervisors, City Council, Town Council, Mayor, and Sheriff candidates for the November 3 Election. Below is the grading scale used for based on their answers.
LOCAL CANDIDATE ABBREVIATION KEY
| AUD | Support Adult-Use Dispensaries in Locality |
| MUD | Support Medical-Use Dispensaries in Locality |
LOCAL CANDIDATE SCORING
| ✓ | MUD + AUD |
| O | MUD |
| X | Oppose |
LOCAL CANDIDATE QUESTIONS
Allowing Medical-Use Dispensaries in the Locality (MUD)
Over three dozen US states and territories, including Virginia, regulate medical cannabis. Virginia’s program is not ideal. Patients find it difficult to access dispensaries that are hours away from their homes. The cost of participation is often a barrier to many as the recommendation, registration, and medication are not covered by insurance or other aid. In addition to the access barriers to patients, there are access barriers to Virginia business owners as well due to the high cost of licensing and vertical integration requirements. Having access to dispensaries that are located near their homes helps to remove these barriers.
Q1: As an elected member of local government, would you support or oppose the location of state-regulated medical cannabis dispensaries in your locality?
Allowing Adult-Use Dispensaries in the Locality (AUD)
Virginia legalized the personal possession and cultivation of cannabis by adults 21+ and is working to establish a fair and equitable regulated market. Legalization and regulation is what best affords states the opportunity to govern its use accordingly, to better provide for consumer and public safety, and to prevent youth access by placing products behind an age-verified counter and reducing illicit sales. Regulating adult-use also provides economic stimulus through job creation and tax revenue, and allows a state to begin undoing the harms of prohibition waged primarily upon young people, poor people, and communities of color.
Q2: As an elected member of local government, would you support or oppose the location of state-regulated adult-use cannabis dispensaries in your locality?
FAIRFAX Board of Supervisors, Mason District
✓ Andres Jimenez
A1: I think you question hit the nail on the head. We need to make access to dispensaries easier, reduce the costs, and cut through burdensome red tape.
A2: In addition to providing a boost for our economy, doing this would also end the shadowy sale of cannibis. The state needs to take action to further its current laws, and as supervisor, I will work to ensure our legislative program reflects this needed change and others.