RICHMOND — Ryan Suit tries to keep a close eye on marijuana legislation.
As the co-owner of a Virginia Beach shop that sells cannabinoid products, he doesn’t want to be caught off guard by new rules or regulations. Yet even Suit was shocked to learn that, buried within the state’s recently unveiled budget proposal, is a provision that would create a new criminal misdemeanor for marijuana possession.
“They essentially weaponized the budget proposal against cannabis,” he said.
Suit said he was unaware the budget conference committee was even considering the measure — and he isn’t the only one blindsided.
Lawmakers tried twice to make marijuana possession a misdemeanor during the regular legislative session this year. But when both bills failed, they used the back door.
Two Democratic lawmakers played key roles in slipping the criminal statute into the budget — meant for laying out the state government’s finances. It was a horse trade at the 11th hour; one was carrying out the wishes of the Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office in exchange for legislation she wanted. The other introduced the provision to his three-person group hammering out budget details.
Now a mix of lawmakers, organizations and others are slamming those involved for treating the budget like the legislative version of a drug mule.
“Lawmakers are adding new criminal penalties for marijuana via the budget process without any public input, despite the disparate impact this will have on Black & Brown…
