Virginia governor vetoes cannabis marketplace plan, pledges resumption of talks next session

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed the bill that would have created a regulated cannabis marketplace, saying it lacked a workable timeline, structure and resources for proper oversight. She sent the legislation back with dozens of changes and pushed for a retail launch later (July 1, 2027) to ensure enforcement, testing and compliance are funded and effective. Lawmakers defended the plan as the result of extensive deliberation and may revisit it in the next General Assembly session.