MJBiz - March/April 2024 - 26

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS State by State
Tennessee
Lawmakers in Tennessee once again filed a bill that would put marijuana legalization referendum
questions on the 2024 ballot, although the results of any ballot vote would be
nonbinding.
According to The Tennessee Journal, the legislation would pose three questions to voters:
* Should Tennessee legalize medical marijuana?
* Should Tennessee decriminalize marijuana possession of less than an ounce of marijuana?
* Should Tennessee legalize and regulate recreational marijuana?
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jesse Chism and Sen. Raumesh Akbari, also would require Tennessee's
secretary of state to forward any referendum results to the Legislature and to publish
the results online.
The same legislation was filed last year but died in a House subcommittee, according to
Nashville TV station WKRN. A 2023 Republican push to legalize medical marijuana in Tennessee
also failed.
Tennessee does not have a regulated medical marijuana market, although the state has regulated
hemp-derived cannabinoid products and imposed taxes on the sale of such products.
Virginia
Lawmakers resumed their quest to legalize adult-use marijuana retail operations in Virginia,
the largest state to legalize use and possession without also launching sales.
State Sens. Adam Ebbin and Aaron Rouse introduced a bill that would allow adult-use sales
to begin in 2025. It's similar to an effort that failed last year.
And the familiar standoff between Virginia's Democratic lawmakers-who control both
chambers of the General Assembly-and Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin remains.
Virginia legalized adult-use cannabis possession in 2021. However, the launch of a market
projected to be worth $1 billion within three years required lawmakers to pass future legislation.
Youngkin's interference is credited with sabotaging a push to do just that last year.
It's believed Democratic control will help push the bill forward but won't be sufficient to
overcome a Youngkin veto.
West Virginia
Elected representatives in West Virginia reintroduced a recreational marijuana legalization
proposal. House Bill 4873, introduced by Del. Evan Hansen, would legalize adult use with rules
and regulations similar to those seen across the United States. The bill would:
* Set a 15% state excise tax and a 6% local sales tax.
* Allow counties to pass local bans on commercial activity.
* Distribute tax revenue to a state employee pension fund as well as drug-treatment programs
and law enforcement.
Relatively sparsely populated West Virginia launched medical cannabis sales in 2021 after
a record delay between legislation and market launch of more than 4½ years. Florida-based
Trulieve Cannabis Corp. has enjoyed a leading market position in the state's MMJ industry.
Note: Entries sourced from MJBizDaily and other international, national and local news outlets. These
developments occurred before this magazine's publication deadline, so some situations might have changed.
26 March-April 2024 | MJBizMagazine

MJBiz - March/April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MJBiz - March/April 2024