Summary: Cannabis control; retail market; transitionalsales; penalties. Establishes a framework for the creation ofa retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth, which would be administeredby the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The bill allows the Authorityto begin issuing marijuana licenses on July 1, 2024. The bill allows,beginning July 1, 2023, certain pharmaceutical and industrial hempprocessors, pending establishment of the retail market, to cultivate,manufacture, and sell cannabis products to persons 21 years of ageor older.

Summary: Cannabis control; retail market; transitionalsales; penalties. Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth, which would be administeredby the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The bill allows the Authorityto begin issuing marijuana licenses on January 1, 2024, but providesthat no marijuana sales may occur prior to January 1, 2025.

Summary: Industrial hemp; monopolies; registration and renewal fees. Imposes limits on the powers of the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by prohibiting the Commissioner from granting, suspending, or revoking any registration for growing, dealing in, or processing of industrial hemp or hemp products in a manner that allows for the creation of a monopoly or otherwise lessens competition in the industrial hemp or hemp product industries in the Commonwealth. The bill also provides that all citizens of the Commonwealth shall have equal access to apply to the Commissioner for any such registration and prohibits the Commissioner from setting the fee for such any such registration or renewal thereof in excess of $250.

Summary: Industrial hemp; maximum THC concentration.Increases from 0.3 percent to one percent, in the definition of industrialhemp, the maximum concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the plant Cannabis sativa and excludes hemp products with a THC concentrationof one percent or less from (i) the definition of marijuana and (ii) tetrahydrocannabinols as found on Schedule I of the Drug ControlAct. The bill allows the Commissioner of Agriculture and ConsumerServices to destroy Cannabis sativa found to have a THC concentrationgreater than one percent only if such Cannabis sativa is intendedfor human consumption; reduces the application and registration requirementsfor any person seeking to grow, deal in, or process industrial hemp;and prohibits the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services andthe Commissioner from adopting any regulation that prohibits the useof industrial hemp or hemp products in the production of any commercialfeed product regulated by the Board.

Summary: Marijuana; advertising restrictions; penalties. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to advertise in or send any advertising matter into the Commonwealth regarding marijuana, marijuana products, or any substance containing a synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol or synthetic derivative of tetrahydrocannabinol other than those that may be legally sold in the Commonwealth. The bill provides that for violations of certain distance and zoning restrictions on outdoor advertising, as set forth in the bill, the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority must give the advertiser written notice to take corrective action and that, if such corrective action is not taken within 30 days, the advertiser is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. The bill establishes numerous restrictions on marijuana advertisements, including provisions that prohibit advertisements from (i) targeting minors; (ii) being placed near schools, playgrounds, and certain other places; (iii) being displayed at a sporting event or on a billboard; (iv) being misleading, deceptive, or false; (v) referencing the intoxicating effects of marijuana; or (vi) promoting overconsumption or consumption by minors. This bill is identical to SB 1233.