Marijuana legalization in Virginia isn’t quite as simple as it sounds.
Earlier this year, the General Assembly voted to make legal the possession of small amounts of marijuana for anyone 21 and older. But the law — which took effect Thursday — is considered a work in progress and can be confusing.
Lawmakers are still hashing out the rules for a marketplace in which marijuana can be bought and sold. Meanwhile, you can now “possess” marijuana — including by growing your own plants — but you can’t legally buy it, sell it or use it public.
Here are some questions and answers to help navigate the new law:
There’s been a national trend in recent years toward pot’slegalization. Advocates contend the old laws result in too many people ensnared in the justice system for no reason. Pot is increasingly seen by the public as a drug that doesn’t typically harm others, with many no longer believing it’s a “gateway” to harder drugs. Advocates also argue that prohibition has led to inequitable enforcement: Black residents over the years have been far more likely than white ones to be charged on marijuana offenses, even though studies conclude that similar percentages of Black and white people use the drug.
A year ago, lawmakers in Richmond voted to “decriminalize” the possession of smaller amounts of pot — moving it from a criminal to a civil violation. Instead of a Class 1 misdemeanor that stayed on records for years, it became a $25 civil fine akin to a…
