WILLAMSBURG, Va. — The third medical marijuana dispensary in the Hampton Roads area opened off of Bypass Road on Wednesday morning.
Cannabist sells a variety of medical marijuana products, including vapes, flower, and edibles.
It joins two other dispensaries owned by Columbia Care to open in the area. The other two are in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.
"We're really celebrating the moment as we've expanded the footprint to the Peninsula, which has been really important to us in ensuring patient access across the entire region," said Ngiste Abebe, Vice President of Public Policy of Columbia Care.
Marijuana is expected to be a big topic in the upcoming 2023 General Assembly session once again. During the 2022 session, lawmakers failed to reach any agreement on establishing recreational sales after legalizing simple possession in 2021.
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Democrats lost control of the House of Delegates to Republicans during elections in November 2021, but still maintain a slim majority in the State Senate.
During the 2022 session, there were discussions about beginning recreational sales at medical dispensaries while the regulatory framework for sales was established, but a bill that would've done that failed to advance in the GOP controlled House of Delegates.
Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), the sponsor of the bill to legalize possession of marijuana in 2021, told News 3 over the phone Wednesday he will introduce a bill to establish adult sales in the upcoming session, but said the legislation is still being worked on.
Ebbin said he would be supportive of recreational sales beginning at dispensaries, but said he's not sure how soon sales would start. They were originally slated to begin in 2024, which Ebbin said could still be possible at dispensaries.
News 3 asked a spokesperson for House Speaker Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) whether he was aware of any updates on marijuana legislation being talked about by Republicans. "None to speak of yet," Garren Shipley answered in an email.
Columbia Care would support recreational sales beginning at dispensaries. "We support adult, regulated use of Cannabis and we think that the medical program should play a role in that transition," said Abebe.
Virginia lawmakers will return to Richmond in January.
