Is Weed Legal in Virginia?

New regulation in the state of Virginia has made recreational use of weed legal as of July 1, 2021. This new regulation applies to all adults over the age of 21 who possess less than one ounce of the substance. Further, it is also now legal for adults over the age of 21 to grow up to four plants in their residential home and distribute and transfer marijuana from person to person, as long as the amount transferred between parties remains less than one ounce.

What Remains Illegal in Virginia?

Although significant steps have been put in place to make recreational and personal use of marijuana in Virginia legal, there are still tightly controlled regulations and laws surrounding the drug. The amount of weed a person has on them at any given time cannot exceed one ounce. More than one ounce of marijuana (but still less than one pound) may be subject to a $25 fine. Anything more than one pound of marijuana is still subject to felony charges.

Still, it is illegal to consume or distribute marijuana in a public place. This regulation means that although marijuana is legal to use, it can only be used inside a personal residence. Owners of a specific home still have the right to disallow the use of the drug. It is illegal to transfer marijuana in a public place as well. Further, it is unlawful to distribute the drug with the intent to sell, as this is still heavily regulated by approved growers and dispensaries within the state.

Why is Legal Weed Usage Important in Virginia?

Although many states in the past have drawn a hard line in the sand when it comes to recreational and personal use of weed, sentiment continues to change every day. Most of the southern states in the United States have continued to uphold their marijuana prohibition laws, making the southern states much more conservative on the weed issue. However, Virginia approving the use of legal recreational use of marijuana marks the first southern state to change the tide on tight regulation.

When Can People Buy Marijuana in Virginia?

Although the regulation recently passed that it is now legal to use marijuana for recreational purposes in the state of Virginia, purchasing marijuana in the state may still be a future prospect. Because several government-run regulations and dispensaries still need to be established, with countless employees hired, it will not be possible to purchase marijuana in Virginia until January 1, 2024. Further, several portions of the approved 2021 bill must be affirmed and approved again in 2022 to make the legalization of recreational marijuana a complete reality.