About a month ago I published a blog post claiming that “Virginia’s legalization bill is one step away from becoming a law, and Governor Ralph Northam is expected to sign it, which would make the state the first in the South to legalize weed. That’d be a big deal.”
It turns out that I was a bit off in my assessment—Virginia’s House and Senate actually approved two separate bills, not the same one. However, now the state’s lawmakers have officially passed one singular bill that will legalize cannabis in 2024.
Denis Lavoie and Sarah Rankin, writing for TIME:
Virginia lawmakers gave final approval Saturday to a bill that will legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, but not until 2024, when retail sales of the drug would also begin.
With a compromise bill clearing the House and Senate, Virginia becomes the first Southern state to vote to legalize marijuana, joining 15 other states and the District of Columbia. The legislation now goes to Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, who supports legalization.
So even though I got this one wrong back in February, now it’s actually time to give Virginia, which just happens to be the state directly north of me, a big round of applause.