MARIJUANA

A troubling trend has been reported in Virginia.

According to UVA Health, calls to the Blue Ridge Poison Center for children unintentionally consuming edible marijuana products have nearly tripled from 26 in 2021 to 77 in 2022.

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are inching closer to making concessions to legalize medical marijuana, as long as legislation specifies that it is only for those "in serious pain."

In the midterm elections, Missouri approved the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state, joining Maryland. Recreational marijuana was rejected in Arkansas and North Dakota.

As Halloween nears, Attorney General Jason Miyares is warning parents and guardians to look out for Copycat tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) laced edibles.

Voters will decide whether recreational marijuana can be used legally in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Pot is a popular topic on ballots again this election.

Recreational marijuana could be legal in half the country if the handful of states with cannabis measures on ballots this November pass them. Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota have measures on their ballots this fall for voters to consider legalizing recreational marijuana. A decade since Colorado and Washington approved recreational cannabis, prohibitions have fallen across the country: in big, populous states like California and New York and smaller rural ones like Maine and Vermont.

The non-profit Johnny's Ambassadors teaches the dangers of high-potency THC use through the story of Johnny Stack.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced that starting July 1, copycat THC products will be illegal in Virginia.

On Wednesday, recreational marijuana advocates joined together in Roanoke for the first-ever Cannabis Family Reunion, an expo featuring vendors, informational talks, and medical cannabis resources.

South Dakota's new medical marijuana law is changing less than a year after it went on the books.

Delta-8 and other cannabinoids are currently sold in stores across the Commonwealth.

Republicans in the Virginia House blocked a measure that would have allowed limited retail sales of recreational marijuana to start later this year.

Republicans in the Virginia House blocked a measure Monday that would have allowed limited retail sales of recreational marijuana to begin later this year.

A bill moving up the timeline of the recreational sale of marijuana has passed the Virginia Senate. There’s no guarantee it will pass the House of Representatives or be signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin, but if it does, there’s concern it would crush many small businesses in the commonwealth, according to a report by NBC 29.

How did marijuana get so widely accepted in the U.S., and where is it headed from here?

How did marijuana get so widely accepted in the U.S., and where is it headed from here?

With a divided government, crucial details are up for debate

Police officers are on a learning curve now that marijuana is legal in the Commonwealth.

Arrests on marijuana-related charges have fallen dramatically this summer in and around Virginia's capital since a new law legalized possession of small amounts of pot and residents keeping a few cannabis plants, according to a newspaper report.

Helping people with a love of agriculture is Bette Brand's top priority, so it was only natural to apply for Virginia's first Cannabis Control Authority Board.

The legalization of marijuana has given a green thumb to thousands of Virginians investing in cultivation.

How do cannabis users drive? This is the question Virginia Tech Transportation Institute is looking to answer, and you may be able to help.

While the recreational sale of marijuana is still a few years out, work is happening right now to make sure its rollout is smooth and efficient.

The City of Danville has approved statewide guidelines set for medical marijuana dispensaries.

Many in Lynchburg have come to call Johnathan Zinski Virginia’s Johnny Appleseed of cannabis.

We’re working for you to answer dozens of questions about cannabis that we’ve received since Virginia legalized marijuana on April 7.

Gov. Ralph Northam sped up marijuana legalization by three years when he signed a bill, making Virginia the first state to legalize marijuana. But just how long has marijuana been a topic of discussion in Virginia legislation?

In just a matter of days, marijuana will be legal in the Commonwealth. Now, public safety officials are raising concerns about an increase in impaired driving.

With marijuana legalization in the Commonwealth right around the corner, there may be some confusion on what’s legal and what’s not.

Most of the new laws passed earlier this year by the Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly will take effect Thursday, including measures that legalize the recreational use of marijuana, largely ban police use of facial recognition technology and forgive certain unemployment overpayments.

We are working for you to answer any questions you may have about the change before July 1.

Many marijuana-related criminal convictions will be expunged and some profits will go to communities disproportionately affected by illegal marijuana.

The legalization of marijuana has come with a lot of changes to laws, restrictions, and regulations across the Commonwealth.

Although Marijuana is just weeks away from becoming legal in the commonwealth, it may still be banned on many college campuses across the state.

Two of Radford city’s four-legged members of its police force are being honored for almost a decade of hard work.

In three weeks, a big change is coming to the Commonwealth as Virginia’s new law to legalize recreational use of marijuana will take effect. The change impacts police departments across the state and their K9 officers.

The federal marijuana ban is contributing to climate change

As Virginia prepares to legalize marijuana in just a matter of weeks, some are still suggesting changes to the legislation.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation legalizing adult use and possession of marijuana Wednesday.

As state leaders prepare for the legalization of marijuana here in Virginia come July 1, local advocacy groups and law enforcement agencies are raising concerns over an increase in use among teenagers and young adults.

Starting July 1, recreational marijuana will be legal in the commonwealth.

As the commonwealth prepares to legalize marijuana in just a few short months, local law enforcement agencies have major concerns about the legislation.

The Board of Supervisors met Tuesday and discussed the possibility of banning dispensaries, wholesalers, manufacturers and farms in the region.

Marijuana is on its way to becoming legal in Virginia. “Last week we saw, really, more history being made with cannabis policy in Virginia. This was the first time that a marijuana legalization bill was not only heard, but debated and passed on the floor of not one, but both chambers,” said Pedini. AdThe two bills create an oversight committee, The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. In both bills, legal marijuana sales, which are expected to bring in about $300 million annually in state tax revenue, would not start until Jan. 1, 2024.

VIRGINIA – The Virginia General Assembly convened on Friday and passed multiple bills that could impact Virginians across the Commonwealth, including a bill legalizing marijuana. Similar bills passed both the House and Senate after some debate. Both chambers also passed bills to abolish the death penalty. A Senate bill that would have prohibited someone convicted of domestic assault from buying, owning or transporting a firearm failed a vote. All bills passed by both chambers then hit Gov.

ROANOKE, Va. – Moving a step closer to potentially legalizing marijuana in the Commonwealth, a Senate committee advances legislation by an 8 to 7 vote. The Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee Friday approved an opt-out clause for localities to have marijuana businesses operate in their jurisdictions. Instead of demanding they must opt-out through a potentially time-consuming and costly process,” Virginia Municipal League Mitchell Smiley said. Some panel members say businesses with marijuana sales should be treated similarly to alcohol businesses. The Senate committee also struck down the proposal to eliminate homegrown cannabis, a move Pedini agrees with.

ROANOKE, Va. – Marijuana legalization continues to be a hot debate in the commonwealth. One of the topics lawmakers discussed was the regulation of commercial marijuana by determining who will have the authority. “NORML does support and prefer a regulatory agency that is specific to cannabis.“ Jenn Michelle Pedini, the executive director of Virginia NORML, said. Opposers of marijuana legalization believe public health is being outshined by commercialization. One of the main concerns law enforcement has is the potential for people to drive while under the influence of marijuana.

WASHINGTON – A bipartisan bill that would allow researchers to study medical marijuana’s effects passed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. The Medical Marijuana Research Act is co-sponsored by Southwest Virginia Rep. Morgan Griffith. The bill, in its own words, would: “amend the Controlled Substances Act to make marijuana accessible for use by qualified marijuana researchers for medical purposes.”Griffith said he has advocated for medical marijuana in Congress since 1998. He believes the bill’s approval shows how much attitudes towards medical marijuana have changed since his first statement in support of it. The bill will now await a vote in the Senate.

Connecticut police arrested two men and seized an estimated $15 million worth of marijuana after discovering a storage facility was being used illegally as a hub for pot distribution in the Northeast, authorities said Thursday. West Haven police said local officers and agents with the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration found 1,700 pounds (770 kilograms) of marijuana on Wednesday when they stopped a U-Haul truck while investigating what they called an international marijuana trafficking operation. "The investigation revealed that individuals were utilizing a storage facility in West Haven as a hub to distribute large quantities of marijuana throughout the tri-state area," West Haven police said in a statement, referring to the area that includes Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. It wasn't clear if they have lawyers who could respond to the allegations. Fifteen states have broadly legalized marijuana, while 36 allow medical marijuana.

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginians are getting a better look at what a marijuana decriminalization bill could look like in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Marijuana Legalization Work Group held 15 public meetings between July and October. The report also includes what Northam’s office refers to as the “five key principles” Northam would like to see in a final legalization bill. The legislation should, according to Northam, be aligned with the Virginia Indoor Clean Air Act, which prohibits indoor tobacco use. The legislation should, according to Northam, ensure Virginia collects appropriate and ongoing information on safety, health, and equity.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Governor Ralph Northam cited racial equity as one reason he’s supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana. The governor plans on introducing legislation when the General Assembly convenes in January. While Walker supported legislation for medical marijuana, he calls marijuana a gateway drug. “This is another form of drugs that lead to harder drugs, which then lead to the destruction of life.”But others support the governor’s decision. While Pedini says legalization could bring millions of dollars of tax revenue to the Commonwealth, Walker suggests finding others ways help with costs.

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring says legalizing marijuana is key to promoting equity in the Commonwealth. Herring has been considered a longtime advocate for cannabis reform and marijuana legalization. Herring helped decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana during the 2020 General Assembly Session. In 2019, Herring held the “Virginia Cannabis Summit” which brought together legislators, state agencies and other stakeholders to create a plan of action for reforming Virginia’s cannabis laws. “...I am proud of what we have already been able to accomplish and I look forward to working with my colleagues and advocacy partners as we continue to move Virginia forward on a path towards full legalization," said Herring.

Ralph Northam is pushing to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Virginia, which could be the first Southern state to do so. “Legalizing marijuana will happen in Virginia,” Northam said. Fifteen states have now broadly legalized it, while 36 states allow medical marijuana. Voters in Mississippi overwhelmingly approved medical marijuana this month. That wide margin was evident in the election, with marijuana measures passing with strong bipartisan support.

While we may not know if President Donald Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden won the presidential election for a while longer, there was one clear “winner” on election night, and that was recreational drugs. States across the country have been legalizing recreational marijuana every election cycle, and 2020 was no different. Residents in New Jersey, Arizona, Montana and South Dakota all voted to legalize recreational cannabis, and South Dakota also legalized medical marijuana, along with Mississippi. South Dakota became the first state to legalize medical and recreational marijuana in the same election. For the first time in U.S. history, the state of Oregon decriminalized possession of hard drugs, as well as voted to legalize psychedelic mushrooms.

ROANOKE, Va. – Starting July 1, possession of small amounts of marijuana won’t land you behind bars. Marijuana advocates say while Wednesday is a big day in Virginia, decriminalization is not a public policy solution. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said says criminalizing small amounts of marijuana has not been working in Virginia. “It won’t do anything to address the way marijuana laws are disproportionately enforced between black Virginians and white Virginians despite equal usage rates,” Virginia NORML Executive Director Jenn Michelle Pedini said. NORML is a national organization working to reform marijuana laws.

Ralph Northam signed legislation on Thursday that will decriminalize simple marijuana possession. The bills decriminalize simple marijuana possession and provide a civil penalty of no more than $25. With the newly-signed bill, the threshold for a Class 1 misdemeanor is now one ounce or less. With the newly-signed bill, the threshold for a Class 5 felony is now more than one ounce. The newly-signed legislation creates a “rebuttable presumption” that someone who possesses no more than one ounce of marijuana possesses it for personal use.

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed multiple bills aimed at criminal justice reform in Virginia. “Every Virginian deserves access to a fair and equitable criminal justice system,” said Northam in a press release. “These bills combat mass incarceration, increase support for returning citizens, and ensure that those who have paid their debt to society have a meaningful second chance. I thank the General Assembly for working with us to build a more just and inclusive Commonwealth.”Northam signed the following bills:The governor also proposed two amendments

Ever wonder why the number 420 is associated with marijuana? Here's CBSN's Josh Elliot to explain.

Pot sales begin in Washington, but supplies are short Marijuana shops in Washington are preparing for even more customers, following the huge crowds that showed up for the first day of legal recreational pot sales in the state. Adriana Diaz reports from Seattle.

Cannabis Cup celebrates all things marijuana on 420 Day In Denver, more than 60,000 people gathered to listen to music and party for 420 Day -- the day to celebrate all things pot. Barry Petersen reports on the festivities and the award for the best marijuana in the U.S.