Virginia

Regulatory Framework

The regulation of cannabis in Virginia is primarily managed by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA), which functions under the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) [2]. The CCA oversees both adult-use and medical cannabis programs through a five-member board of directors appointed by the governor [1] [15].

In 2021, the Virgina Legislature Joint Audit and Review Commission issued a report on Key Considerations for Marijuana Legalization [17].

Legal Status

Track-and-Trace

Virginia employs a seed-to-sale tracking system for both medical and adult-use cannabis to ensure compliance and monitor the movement of cannabis products throughout the commonwealth [3].

Although CCA doesn't publish regular cannabis sales or revenue information, they have published reports which detailed the commonwealth's market [16].

Licensing

Possession Limits

Medical Cannabis

Patients in Virginia eligible for medical cannabis must have conditions such as epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, PTSD, or chronic pain [13]. Registration involves obtaining a written certification from a healthcare practitioner, and this certification is necessary to purchase medical cannabis [10].

Additional Resources

• Wikipedia: Cannabis in Virginia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_in_Virginia

References

• [1] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. Available: https://www.cca.virginia.gov/
• [2] Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Available: https://abc.virginia.gov/
• [3] Virginia Law. "Seed-to-sale tracking system," VA Code § 4.1-611. Available: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title4.1/chapter6/section4.1-611/
• [4] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. "News & Events." Available: https://www.cca.virginia.gov/news_events
• [5] Virginia Department of Revenue. Available: https://www.tax.virginia.gov/
• [6] Virginia Department of Agriculture. Available: https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/
• [7] Commonwealth of Virginia, Secretary of State. Available: https://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/
• [8] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. "FAQs - Home Cultivation." Available: https://www.cca.virginia.gov/faqs#panel-3
• [9] Virginia Law. "§ 4.1-1100. Possession, etc., of marijuana by persons 21 years of age or older lawful," VA Code Title 4.1 Chapter 11 Section 4.1-1100. Available: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title4.1/chapter11/section4.1-1100/
• [10] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. "Patients." Available: https://www.cca.virginia.gov/patients#anchor-1
• [11] Virginia General Assembly. "Senate Bill 541 & House Bill 2312 (2021)." Available: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+sum+HB698
• [12] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. "Regulations Final PDF." Available: https://www.cca.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/Regulations%20Final.pdf
• [13] Integro Clinics. "How long does it take to get a medical marijuana card in VA 2022?" Available: https://www.integroclinics.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-a-medical-marijuana-card-in-va-2022/
• [14] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. "FAQs." Available: https://www.cca.virginia.gov/faqs
• [15] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. "CCA Board of Directors." Available: https://cca.virginia.gov/bod
• [16] Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. "Reports and Studies." Available: https://cca.virginia.gov/reports
• [17] Virgina Legislature Joint Audit and Review Commission. "Actions Taken on Report Recommendations." Available: https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2022/RD354/PDF