VIRGINIA BEACH, Va - The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority and Virginia Beach Councilwoman Sabrina Wooten hosted a town hall Wednesday night addressing marijuana concerns.
This town hall comes as the General Assembly passed new measures regarding cannabis.
Under the bill, there would be tougher regulations on hemp products. Additionally, permits would have to be obtained, and products can’t contain more than 2 milligrams of THC per package. The bill is on Glenn Youngkin’s desk.
That legislation is now set to be signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, but CBD business owners addressed their concerns.
"The bill that’s on the governor's desk about hemp, what are the prospects for that?" one speaker asked. "If the governor does not offer change or veto that bill, what's the timing going forward? Is it June 30 that everybody has to shut down and basically out of business?"
Nicholos Rocha owns Queens Green Apothecary CBD shop in Virginia Beach. Rocha, who is a veteran, started his business when his daughter had a medical condition and needed medical cannabis for treatment.
"I'm concerned about the future. I would like to see a fair and equitable market across the board," Rocha said. "It would wipe out my business. This current legislation if signed by the governor would absolutely ruin it for the hemp CBD industry."
The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority and others on the panel listened as business owners and residents addressed their concerns. The control authority provides policy advice to General Assembly.
In 2021, lawmakers passed a bill for the sale of recreational marijuana to go into law in 2024. The General Assembly would need to pass it twice in the following years for it to go into law.
The bill failed in this year’s General Assembly leaving the start of retail sales up in the air.
News 3's Leondra Head spoke to Virginia Beach Councilwoman Sabrina Wooten about the Virginia Beach cannabis task force. The 11-member task force was voted on and approved by the city council last year.
Wooten said the task force will make recommendations based on the laws signed regarding marijuana.
"They gather that feedback from the community and then provide it to city council so that we can make decisions when the general assembly makes a decision to move forward," Wooten said.
Wooten said the task force will meet for the first time on Monday.
