A top official has announced his support for recreational
cannabis in the US state of Virginia.
Attorney General Mark Herring tweeted: “Virginians know we can do better.
“It’s time to move toward legal, regulated adult use.”
He also retweeted a University of Mary Washington study showing that 61% of Virginians support the legalisation of recreational cannabis, with 34% opposing.
Micheal Kelly, director of communications for Herring, told Capital News Service the attorney general believes: “Virginia needs to decriminalise possession of small amounts of marijuana, take action to address past convictions, and a move towards legal and regulated adult use in Virginia.”
A similar study by the same university in 2017 showed 39% of
Virginians supported legalising marijuana for personal use.
Cannabis in Virginia is illegal and possession of even small amounts is a criminal misdemeanour.
Arrests
Almost all
marijuana-related arrests last year (90%) were for possession alone, and
arrests for marijuana possession have increased 115% from 2003 to 2017,
according to a press release from the attorney general’s office.
First time
marijuana convictions in Virginia have risen 53% from 2008 to 2017, with
enforcement costs estimated to be nearly $81million a year.
Last month the
road to full legalisation of marijuana across the US took a step closer to
reality as the House of Representatives voted in a bill to make it easier for
banks to work with the cannabis industry.
The Secure
and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act was given the green light by the
Democrat-controlled House.
The bill is designed to smooth the way for banks to work with marijuana companies, many of which are ‘unbanked’ and only transact with cash or cryptocurrencies.
