Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) on Monday vetoed legislation to establish regulations to implement an adult-use cannabis industry in the state. In his veto message, Youngkin cited “adverse effects on children’s health and safety,” the “failures” of states that have adult-use markets, and concerns about increased crime and psychiatric disorders.
“The proposed legalization, which was vetoed last year, would establish the framework for retail marijuana, which endangers Virginians’ health and safety. States following this path have seen adverse effects on children’s and adolescent’s health and safety, increased gang activity and violent crime, significant deterioration in mental health, decreased road safety, and significant costs associated with retail marijuana that far exceed tax revenue. It also does not eliminate the illegal black-market sale of cannabis, nor guarantee product safety.” — Youngkin in HB2485 veto message
In his veto message, Youngkin cites state data from the Blue Ridge Poison Control Center, which has reported an 85% increase in minors overdosing on cannabis-infused edibles since the Commonwealth legalized cannabis possession in 2021. The governor also points to the proliferation of unregulated sales in California and Colorado, which he claims “fuels gang activity, drives violent crime, and undermines public safety.”
“The financial and societal burdens of legalization have left state governments worse off than before,” the governor wrote in the veto message, “proving that commercialized cannabis is a failed experiment with devastating consequences.”
In a statement, Delegate Paul Krizek, chief patron of the House version of the retail sales bill, said the governor “has once again failed the citizens of Virginia by allowing an already thriving illegal cannabis market to persist, fueling criminal activity and endangering our communities.”
“He had the opportunity to safeguard Virginians,” Krizek said, “but instead this will only exacerbate the proliferation of illicit products, posing greater risks to our schools and public safety.”
Youngkin vetoed similar legislation last session.
The governor also vetoed a bill that would have protected the parental rights of adults who lawfully possess or consume cannabis in accordance with state law. In the veto message for HB2613, Yougkin said the legislation “disregards clear evidence linking substance use to child endangerment, particularly in the wake of increased incidents of children ingesting cannabis-infused substances following the legalization of marijuana.”
