Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Virginia could have a retail recreational marijuana market by the start of next year, and Blacksburg officials are taking steps to develop an ordinance to deal with the public sale.
Gov. Abigail Spangberger has until April 13 to sign the bill into law or make amendments. She is expected to push the bill through as the measure was part of her campaign late last year.
This means retail sales of marijuana could begin Jan. 1, and individuals 21 years old and older could purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana at a time. The bill also says localities cannot opt out of retail marijuana sales.
Currently, the town of Blacksburg does not have zoning ordinance regulations governing the sale of retail marijuana. This past week, council approved a resolution to have the planning commission to consider amendments to cover the matter under the town’s zoning.
There are some limitations set by the state.
To start with, there will be a cap of 350 retail marijuana stores in Virginia until Jan. 1, 2028. Retail stores could not be built within 1,000 feet of hospitals, schools or daycare centers. Under the final bill, a retail marijuana store can’t be located within 1,000 feet of a school or day care.
Current medical marijuana retailers can also enter the recreational retail market if they pay a $10 million fee.
This new market creates a new pool of taxation revenue with the state collecting six percent, while localities can approve a tax rate between one and 3.5 percent, which provides new revenue.
The state bill allocates its collections, with 40% to support early childhood care and early childhood education, 30% to the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund (CERF), 25% to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Service (to be used for substance use disorder treatment and prevention), and 5% to public health programs.
Virginia’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and the state’s Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) will have to assemble a plan to oversee and enforce rules for the retail cannabis marketplace.
In 2021, the General Assembly passed legislation that lets people 21 and over possess small amounts of marijuana and have up to four cannabis plants in their homes.
In other matters, council appointed Michael Harvey to the NRV Regional Commission with a term ending June 30, 2027.
