Governor Glenn Youngkin has once again vetoed legislation aimed at creating a legal retail market for recreational cannabis in Virginia. This decision follows the General Assembly’s passage of bills from Delegate Paul Krizek (D–Fairfax) and State Senator Aaron Rouse (D–Virginia Beach) during the 2025 session, which sought to establish a regulated and taxed cannabis marketplace with sales expected to begin in May 2026.
The proposal received limited bipartisan support, gaining slightly more backing from Republicans than similar efforts in 2024. However, it ultimately lacked the crucial endorsement from Youngkin, who has been consistent in his opposition to such measures. Delegate Krizek expressed disappointment, stating, “It’s a missed opportunity,” and emphasized the majority of Virginians’ desire for a safe and regulated adult-use cannabis market.
Since July 2021, adults aged 21 and older in Virginia have been allowed to consume, grow, gift, and carry small amounts of cannabis for recreational purposes. Youngkin’s latest veto ensures that there will be no legal means to purchase cannabis in the state for at least another year. In his veto statement, which closely mirrored his previous year’s remarks, Youngkin claimed that establishing a retail market would jeopardize public health and safety, citing concerns about increased gang activity and adverse effects on children in states with retail sales.
Democrats and cannabis advocates argue that a legal retail market would help consumers shift away from the illegal market and ensure access to tested and regulated products. Chelsea Higgs Wise, the executive director of the Richmond-based nonprofit Marijuana Justice, described the veto as a missed opportunity, noting that a regulated market could provide significant tax revenue and improve product safety. She warned that without regulation, consumers might unknowingly purchase cannabis with harmful ingredients, leading to more hospital admissions due to cannabis-related issues.
Higgs Wise also highlighted the potential for a retail market to address ongoing racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests, which persisted even after Virginia legalized small amounts of cannabis. She countered claims that legalization increases adolescent cannabis use, citing research from April 2024 that indicated lower rates in states where cannabis has been legalized.
The vetoed proposal would have placed the oversight of a regulated recreational cannabis industry under the Cannabis Control Authority, with business licenses expected to be issued in September. A report from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) in 2020 projected that a legal cannabis market in Virginia could generate between $609 million and over $1 billion in its fifth year. The Virginia Department of Planning and Budget used the midpoint of JLARC’s estimate as a baseline for its projections.
