Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has, for the second year in a row, vetoed legislation that would have created a regulated framework for adult-use cannabis sales.
Although cannabis possession and home cultivation have been legal for adults 21 and over since 2021, there is still no legal way to purchase cannabis in Virginia forcing consumers to grow their own or rely on unregulated sources.
The dual vetoed bills, SB 970 and HB 2485, aimed to change that by establishing licensed dispensaries, age verification protocols, and mandatory product testing.
In a near word-for-word repeat of last year’s veto, Youngkin cited concerns over public safety, youth use, violent crime, and mental health, claims that critics argue are unsubstantiated or contradicted by data from other legal states.
Beyond adult-use sales, Youngkin also vetoed bills to protect parental rights for cannabis users, provide for the resentencing of cannabis-related offences, and expand the sealing of past convictions. He also pushed back on revisions to the state’s medical cannabis program.
The blocked bills were passed by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly. Lawmakers like Del. Paul Krizek said they were not surprised by the veto, but believed it was important to show Virginians where their elected officials stood on the issue.
Youngkin, who was elected in 2021 and is barred from seeking a consecutive term, will leave office in January 2026. Advocates see the November 2025 gubernatorial election as a critical opportunity to elect a leader willing to move cannabis policy forward.
Until then, Virginia remains one of the only US states where adult-use cannabis is legal to possess but illegal to buy, a policy gap that critics argue fuels the illicit market and fails to protect consumers.
