Virginia Panel Charts 2026 Retail Cannabis Plan Amid Safety and Equity Concerns

7 October 2025

Virginia lawmakers map retail cannabis blueprint as experts flag mislabeled products, equity risks, and illicit market growth

A Virginia legislative commission charged with planning the transition to a regulated cannabis retail market met on October 7 at the state Capitol to weigh safety, access, and market design ahead of a 2026 legalization push. Chair Del. Paul Krizek said the panel’s final meeting in December will focus on the draft bill it intends to recommend for the session that begins in January.

Speakers described how the state’s medical cannabis system, which features pharmacist consultations, testing, and seed-to-sale tracking via Metrc, can anchor a broader retail market.

Here are some of the suggestions that were made during the hearing:

• Update labeling to milligrams per dose and to clarify delivery agent rules, because clear dosing and allergen information would help patients and online buyers.
• Update truth-in-advertising and label accuracy rules, a visible decal program for licensed stores, and limiting local opt-outs that leave large populations without legal access and strengthen illicit delivery.
• Warning against granting medical incumbents an automatic lead in adult-use and against tightly limited licensing that can raise prices, constrain supply, and entrench the illicit market.
• Urged ownership limits and a two-tier approach to keep profits with local farmers and small businesses.

Reporting by a forensic toxicologist highlighted product risks in the unregulated market. Her team’s “surveillance shopping” found lax ID checks, misleading advice, and unlabeled vapes. Laboratory testing showed off-label potency, synthetic cannabinoids, items with significant delta-8 and detectable delta-9 THC, THC-A flower marketed as “legal,” and microbiological contamination including mold and coliforms. The final recommendation was to tighten definitions and enforce total-THC calculations in code, coupled with licensing clarity and labeling standards.

Retail sales remain prohibited after Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed enabling bills earlier this year, despite legal possession and use since 2022. Commission members said they intend to bring forward language that incorporates consumer protection, medical integrity, competitive market architecture, and enforcement. With a new governor taking office in 2026 and party nominees expressing opposing views on commercial sales, the political outlook could influence timing and scope. Legislative leaders have linked a regulated market to long-term revenue planning.

The commission’s December session is expected to convert months of testimony and comparative state research into bill text. Lawmakers have studied Maryland’s rapid rollout and New York’s equity-focused launch to inform decisions on licensing, taxation, and local control. Patient affordability and access remain priorities alongside suppressing illicit storefronts and ensuring that tested products, clear labels, and fair competition define Virginia’s retail market.