Virginia Marijuana Statistics
In April 2021, then-Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed the state’s Senate Bill 1406. Use, possession and cultivation of marijuana in Virginia became legal that July, but the state does not anticipate retail sales to begin until at least 2024. Deciding the details of regulation, licensing and taxation requires action from legislatures that could speed up or stall the process, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.
In the years prior to the state senate’s vote to pass the Cannabis Control Act, Virginia saw an increase in marijuana usage rates, closely following national trends. The state saw an increase of 2.8 percent from 2002 to 2017, while national usage rose 3.3 percent.
Tax revenues from Virginia are expected to fund education for at-risk children, public health initiatives, substance abuse prevention and the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund. This fund will help support families disproportionately targeted by anti-drug law enforcement, provide scholarship opportunities for marginalized people, and award grants to businesses that serve those impacted by the unfair enforcement of anti-drug laws.
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