On January 1, 2027, only the five existing pharmaceutical processors, who already have flower curing in their vaults, could possibly be ready. Every independent cultivator licensed under the new framework will have barely broken ground.
Chelsea Higgs Wise
Chelsea Higgs Wise is executive director of Marijuana Justice.
Posted inOpinion
Cannabis legalization advocate cites recipe for public health failure: Virginia must keep ABC out of cannabis
Most alcohol regulators’ core mission is revenue generation and license enforcement. In stark contrast, agencies specifically created to regulate cannabis, versus alcohol regulators, are twice as likely to collaborate with public health agencies.
Posted inOpinion
Cannabis advocates: Virginia’s $20 million cannabis conversion fee isn’t punitive — it’s market reality
Virginia legislators are debating whether to charge existing medical cannabis operators a multimillion-dollar fee to convert to adult-use licenses. Critics call it excessive. It’s not.