What to Know About the Current Cannabis Culture in Virginia

In the past, legalization and decriminalization of marijuana seemed so far away, especially for the state of Virginia. Thanks to the revolutionary changes and the awareness brought by the growing cannabis industry, it appears that Virginia is poised to make changes in its rules and regulations as well. As a matter of fact, the big leap is set to happen this 2020.

Though recreational marijuana is still largely prohibited in the state, neighboring states have started to legalize and provide access for recreational cannabis to take center stage. Illinois and Michigan are just some of these states. Given that a huge chunk of Virginia’s government funding is allocated to penalizing and dealing with marijuana-related convictions, it seems that the logical first step in improving the state laws in place.

Events and Conferences

Although medical marijuana is accepted and legal in the state, recreational cannabis is still not widely accepted. In fact, it is still deemed illegal. However, there are numerous cannabis events and conferences where those in the cannabis industry are given the chance not only to unveil their products but also further discussions on the technologies and developments happening in the field.

This 2020, some of the events that are expected to take place in VA are workshops for hemp growers as well as educational and scientific forums that highlight the use of CBD products to provide users with new experiences. The talk at George Mason, which was supposed to be held last March 17, 2020, titled “Cannabis Clinical Competencies Using Science to Inform Intervention Approaches” was designed to focus on understanding the drug from health, culture, and science perspective. This event has been postponed, we’ll post an update for any progress

Of course, the Virginia Hemp Festival is one that’s highly anticipated as well. This agricultural expo of sorts will happen on the 13th and 14th of June, where music, education, food, and fun activities will be at the helm. Individuals will be treated to a day of excitement, entertainment, exhibits, and more, with particular focus on hemp and CBD products as an emerging part of the industry.

Current Cannabis Law in Virginia

The current laws of the state are strict that even having the smallest amount of non-medical marijuana can be an offense. These can be fined $500 for the first offense and the offender may go to jail for up to 30 days.

However, for CBD products, which do not contain tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the psychoactive component present in marijuana, the state is actually more lenient. CBD products may be prescribed to patients with epilepsy and other medical conditions.

Steps Towards Cannabis Legalization

In the past, there has been a strong show of support for cannabis in Virginia. A poll carried out by the University of Mary Washington showed that 61% out of the 1,000 adult respondents were in favor of legalizing recreational cannabis. One of the monumental moves that the government has taken towards this is decriminalizing marijuana – the very first decision in decades.

The Bottom Line

From this information, one can see that Virginians, along with the majority of the United States, are ready to rally for policies that work in their favor. In time, the cannabis culture in the state could grow exponentially and this first step toward decriminalization and legalization is just the start.

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