Ian Price | June 16, 2026
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and state lawmakers announced a compromise Tuesday that would allow legal marijuana sales to begin July 1, 2027, ending a monthslong standoff over how to regulate the state’s cannabis market.
The agreement follows Spanberger’s veto of earlier legislation this spring. The framework is expected to be included in the state budget, which lawmakers must finalize by July 1.
Personal possession and home cultivation of marijuana have been legal in Virginia since 2021, but there has been no legal way to purchase it.
Compromise ends months of negotiations
Spanberger said the compromise reflects a shared goal between her administration and the General Assembly.
“I appreciate these legislators working with me to create a regulatory framework that Virginians can trust,” Spanberger said. “We have always had this same end goal — an end goal that has been years in the making. Virginians have been waiting a long time for policymakers and a governor who wanted to do this and get it right. And we are taking an important step forward.”
The deal would authorize up to 350 retail marijuana stores statewide. A state excise tax would begin at 6% when sales launch and increase to 8% after July 1, 2029.
Public safety shapes regulatory framework
Sen. Lashrecse Aird, the Senate’s lead sponsor, said the regulated market would serve a broader public safety purpose beyond legalizing sales.
“A safe, regulated retail market is not just about legalization,” Aird said. “It is about public safety, consumer protection, and finally giving Virginians a legal marketplace that can compete with and displace the illicit market.”
Under the compromise, serving sizes would be capped at 10 milligrams of THC, with no more than 100 milligrams per package. The proposal also includes testing and labeling requirements and would allow delivery services.
Equity provisions target communities affected by enforcement
Del. Paul Krizek, the House sponsor, said the legal marketplace should not repeat the inequities created by past enforcement.
“For decades, cannabis enforcement created real consequences for individuals, families and documented disproportionate impact to communities,” Krizek said. “A legal marketplace should not lock those same communities out of the economic opportunity created by reform.”
The compromise would direct 75% of first-year license fee deposits to a cannabis equity business loan fund. Up to 100 microbusiness licenses would be issued by May 1, 2027.
What happens next
The framework is expected to be attached to the state budget, which lawmakers must pass by July 1. If approved, Virginia would join other states with regulated cannabis markets, though sales would not begin until summer 2027.
The one-year delay means the new retail framework and related penalties would take effect at the same time as other laws passed during the 2026 legislative session.
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