Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Html”>killed in a committee this week, making it unlikely that the state will see cannabis reform come to pass this year. A Virginian caught with any amount of marijuana currently faces a $500 maximum fine and up to 30 days in jail, but the bill would have reduced the penalty for possessing a half-ounce or less of cannabis to a maximum $250 civil fine for a first-time offense. Html”>said to the Virginian-Pilot. ” Heretick explained that many young Virginians were losing career opportunities due to low-level cannabis convictions, and noted that cannabis possession is legal in neighboring Washington D.C. Opponents of the bill argued that decriminalization would encourage cannabis use, as well as increase traffic accidents caused by drugged driving.
A state House subcommittee voted 7-1 against the bill, preventing it from coming up before the full House for a vote. The committee did unanimously approve a second cannabis-related bill, which would legalize CBD oil for the treatment of seizure disorders. Html”>new bill, SB 594, would not decriminalize cannabis, but would allow anyone convicted of a first-time minor cannabis offense to have the conviction expunged from their records.
