Those Who Think Virginia Governor Will Sign Cannabis Bill ‘Must’ve Been Smoking Something’

Up until this week, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has only said that he doesn’t have “any interest” in an adult-use cannabis sales bill, which his office had indicated he would review like any other.

But during a budget discussion event that was open to the press March 18 in Chesapeake, Va., the Republican governor explicitly said, “I don’t plan on signing that bill,” WTKR reported.

“And I had somebody ask me the other day, ‘Are you going to sign the legislation?’” Youngkin said. “And I’ve been talking about this for 60 days. And I said anybody who thinks I’m going to sign that legislation must’ve been smoking something.”

The legislation passed the Democratic-controlled General Assembly almost entirely along party lines Feb. 28 with a 51-47 vote in the House and a 21-18 vote in the Senate. Only one Republican in each chamber supported the bill.

The bill aims to launch a commercialized adult-use marketplace with dispensary sales to begin on May 1, 2025, allowing those 21 and older to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, or an equivalent amount of a cannabis product, during a single transaction.

RELATED: Virginia Bill to Launch Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Now in Governor’s Hands

This potential sales launch would come more than four years after former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation in April 2021 legalizing adult-use cannabis possession and the home cultivation of up to four plants.

But with a political divide between the executive and legislative branches since 2022, Virginia has been unable to push a sales bill across the finish line.

The clash between policy and politics led to Democratic lawmakers attempting to negotiate, using their legislative priorities as leverage against Youngkin’s proposed sports arena deal—one that would have brought the Washington Wizards (NBA) and Washington Capitals (NHL) to the commonwealth.

When Senate Democrats unveiled a budget March 7 that omitted the governor’s proposed $2 billion public-private partnership for the deal, negotiations for the cannabis bill appeared to shatter.

Days later, Sen. Creigh Deeds, one of a dozen lawmakers involved in the budget discussions, said Youngkin never entertained a compromise when it came to negotiations for the cannabis bill, WRIC reported.

“We were advised that the governor wasn’t going to sign the [cannabis sales] bill under any circumstance,” Deeds told the news outlet.

It wasn’t until this week that Youngkin officially confirmed that he wouldn’t sign the bill. But he did not say he would veto it either.

Youngkin could do nothing and allow the bill to become law without his signature. He has until April 8.