The push to decriminalize marijuana in Virginia gained more momentum this weekend when Attorney General Mark Herring said the commonwealth needs to work toward making it completely legal. Herring said the current penalties for drug possession put too many people in jail and are costly for the commonwealth.
Many supporters of this kind of reform reacted positively Monday to the news. They point to states like Colorado that have opened up their laws, saying those states have benefited economically and socially from the changes. Opponents are still concerned that marijuana use among kids and incidents of impaired driving may increase, among other issues.
Reform advocates like Jenn-Michelle Pedini, with the group Virginia NORML, said Herring’s statements show the movement is gaining momentum.
“Attorney General Mark Herring’s support for not only decriminalizing but legalizing and regulating adult-use marijuana really moves this issue to the front burner of Virginia politics,” Pedini said.
The organization continues to put pressure on Virginia lawmakers and candidates for office to endorse decriminalization policies and pledge to put them into law.
“Public support for meaningful reform is at an all-time high and candidates on the 2019 campaign trail are talking about marijuana reform more than ever,” Pedini said.
Dana Schrad, the director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, said the organization does not support decriminalization.
“It will put our state law in direct conflict with federal law,” Schrad said.
She said she’s concerned about any policy that doesn’t emphasize a drug-free environment for kids and impairment-free driving.
Former police officer and criminal justice expert Dr. Tod Burke says the current possession law does give police advantages.
“It's great to be able to have the probable cause of either seeing the marijuana or smelling marijuana because it lets you investigate for other criminal activity,” Burke said.
But reform would mean less time spent busting people for possession.
“The police, from a positive standpoint, can focus their attention on more serious crimes, including more serious drug offenses,” Burke said.
Decriminalization of the drug has been gaining support in the General Assembly but all bills on the topic failed this past session. However, the Legislature did expand access to medical marijuana.