I'd like cannabis to become legal in hopes of being able to continue recreational activities and more regulation

I see that there is language in the bill allowing someone with a marijuana misdemeanor or felony distribution charges to be allowed to receive a license. It would be really great if y’all also included language for people who received felony convictions for marijuana related possession charges. 6 years ago hash and other concentrates were considered a schedule 1 narcotic and thus people received felonies for simple possession under a different statute than what is listed in the current bill. I also know of people who were charged with felony distribution charges but were given a plea deal and were convicted of simple possession of a schedule 1 narcotic (I.e. hash oil). Thus in the current language they are not included even though the charge is a marijuana related charge and I believe the intention of this bill would have them included as well. Thank you

For but he first time in my life I’ve find something I love and can make a difference I man peoples lives at the same time while bettering gn my own… simultaneously being able to impact to co unity for the better because of growing/ breeding …. I have a criminal history to try in another state(New Jersey)… … but I want to be apart of this industry will co ms sedation be g in en to people like me (unlicensed/criminal history minority etc.) for opportunities wi th nurseries/delivery/dispensary ownership etc… … and if so will not process be difficult and India an takeouts like other states?…

Dear Chair , I am writing to respectfully request consideration of a regulatory pathway allowing a small, licensed Virginia farmer to grow organic, pesticide-free cannabis and sell both harvested cannabis and legally authorized cannabis seeds directly to adult consumers at local farmers markets. This proposal supports Virginia’s agricultural identity while enhancing public safety, strengthening rural economies, and reducing illicit-market reliance. Allowing small-batch organic cultivation improves consumer protection by ensuring that products are grown without synthetic pesticides or chemical residues, which pose inhalation and ingestion risks. Organic methods naturally reduce contaminants, and small growers can offer full transparency from seed to sale. Because each batch is limited in size and traceable, regulators can oversee compliance more effectively, and consumers gain clarity about cultivation practices, potency, and purity. Including seed sales provides an additional public benefit. Many adults wish to legally cultivate personal plants but lack access to trustworthy genetics. Farmers-market seed sales—paired with testing, labeling, and age verification—give consumers a safe, legal alternative to online or unregulated sources. Seeds are an agricultural product, and licensed local farmers are uniquely qualified to produce viable, regionally adapted genetics that perform better in Virginia’s climate than mass-produced commercial varieties. This supports responsible home cultivation, reduces illicit seed imports, and keeps revenue within the Commonwealth. Economically, granting small farmers a pathway to participate in cannabis and seed sales offers a high-value specialty crop that stabilizes family farms, encourages agricultural diversification, and keeps profits local. Virginia already permits wine, hemp, plants, and value-added foods at farmers markets; cannabis and seeds fit naturally within this established agricultural commerce model. Environmentally, organic outdoor or greenhouse cultivation uses far less energy than large indoor facilities and avoids chemical runoff, soil contamination, and excessive electricity usage. Allowing sustainable growers to participate aligns with Virginia’s conservation goals. Farmers markets are ideal controlled environments. They already require vendor permits, inspections, and compliance with food and alcohol rules. Cannabis and seed sales can be added safely with secure packaging, age verification, and clear labeling. A limited license—paired with mandatory testing, seed-to-sale tracking, inspections, and prohibition of on-site consumption—would ensure strong oversight. In summary, enabling a local organic farmer to sell cannabis and seeds at regulated farmers markets enhances consumer safety, supports Virginia agriculture, expands legal access, and offers a responsible alternative to unregulated sources. I respectfully ask the Authority to consider creating a pathway for this community-centered, transparent model. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [Gregory Watts]

Proposal for Statutory Language Defining Licensed Cannabis Cultivation as "Production Agriculture" to Ensure Market Equity The core promise of equitable market access is undermined by the "Zoning Trap." The restricted number of cultivation licenses makes state-level zoning protection critical. Currently, the failure to classify licensed cannabis cultivation and processing as "production agriculture" allows local governments to ban these activities on A-1 zoned farmland, a limitation not imposed on traditional crops. I. Zoning Inequity and Anti-Competitive Advantage This permits a direct, anti-competitive advantage for large, existing operators who can develop sites in expensive commercial zones. Small farmers who own or lease agricultural land are effectively excluded. By limiting cultivation this way, the legislature ensures the market is developed by real estate corporations, not by Virginia farmers, contradicting the goal of strengthening the "vital agriculture sector." II. State Precedent: Protection of Value-Added Agriculture Virginia law has a strong precedent protecting farm-based manufacturing and sales integral to economic development. Code of Virginia § 15.2-2288.3:1 establishes a policy protecting licensed Farm Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries. This statute explicitly prohibits localities from regulating their production, manufacturing, and on-premises sales. Cannabis cultivation, processing, and distribution operates identically to these value-added agricultural models. We plant, harvest, process, and sell a product derived entirely from our land. To deny cannabis cultivation the same agricultural zoning status is discriminatory and economically irrational. III. Mandate for Statutory Language and Conclusion To ensure equitable participation, the General Assembly must intervene by adopting statutory language to prevent local ordinances from overriding state agricultural policy. We demand the insertion of language mandating: The General Assembly hereby finds and declares that licensed cannabis cultivation, processing, and manufacturing shall be defined and treated as "production agriculture" for the purposes of local land use, zoning, and agricultural exemptions, provided such activity is authorized by a license issued by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. This amendment must explicitly clarify that “production agriculture” shall include the cultivation, planting, propagation, growing, harvesting, drying, or curing of Cannabis Sativa by any entity holding a valid cultivation license issued by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. By formally recognizing licensed cannabis activity as "production agriculture," the General Assembly will guarantee that Virginia’s small farmers have the same opportunity and protection afforded to our state’s highly successful craft beverage producers. We urge the Commission to adopt this language immediately to preserve market equity.

Today was a Failure to Set License Quotas and Prioritization of Incumbents Over Small Growers We submit this comment to draw attention to the devastating conflict between the stated purpose of the retail framework and the proposed regulatory action. The legislative framework’s stated goal (Item 40) is to "strengthen the Commonwealth's vital agriculture sector" and "create hundreds of new small and local businesses" rooted in economic equity. This purpose is completely undermined by the decision (Item 11) to defer license caps for cultivation Tiers I through IV entirely to the CCA. This non-action is a betrayal of the multi-year public process and an act of extreme negligence toward aspiring growers. The Failure of Deferral and the Necessity of Quotas: A true free market, one that supports "hundreds of new small and local businesses," cannot operate under regulatory uncertainty. Cultivators require certainty to secure real estate and finance infrastructure. Deferring the number of licenses to the CCA is unacceptable, as it guarantees market access is dictated by corporate planning, not equitable opportunity. The Commonwealth already supports vast, accessible markets: Virginia is home to 38,000 farms and over 3,000 registered hemp farmers. We have 19,000 beer retailers operating with only a $300 annual fee and no artificial state-level quota. There are over 1,425 registered hemp/CBD stores who paid a $1,000 fee. The state supports 402 ABC stores. Given this scale, setting an arbitrarily low ceiling or deferring the decision is a clear barrier to entry. We demand that the Commission restore and mandate a guaranteed minimum of cultivation licenses that aligns with the scale of Virginia agriculture. At minimum, this must return to the 2021 recommendation of 450 growers, but ideally, the model should follow the successful, uncapped licensing structure of Virginia's brewery industry. If the goal is to end the legacy market, the solution is not to create an inaccessible legal one. The legacy market has no caps and supports far more than 100 operators. To achieve fair entry and displace the illicit market, the legal industry must provide a transparent, high-cap pathway for the thousands of farmers and entrepreneurs the legislature promised to empower. We demand the immediate establishment of clear, high minimum license quotas for cultivation and the creation of a truly equitable market that reflects the scale of Virginia’s agricultural base.

My name is Savion Hays, and I am a resident of Newport News, Virginia, submitting this comment on behalf of Hemp HOPE Group. I regret that I was unable to attend today’s final public meeting in person, but I want my voice and lived experience to be part of this historic record. I became a medical cannabis patient in 2010 after moving from Virginia to California for college. As legalization and recreational access expanded there, I did not renew my medical card simply because access became easier. However, over the past seven years, I have experienced major life events that have reactivated clinical depression, anxiety, recurring physical pain, and related symptoms. As a teenager, I battled suicidal ideation and survived through several years of therapy. I remained stable for nearly 19 years until these recent challenges. I am now intentionally choosing to address both my mental and physical health with proper medical guidance rather than ignoring it. Today, medical-grade quality strains and consistent therapeutic products are no longer reliably available through informal or commercial markets. Patients like myself need safe, regulated, and affordable access to true medical-quality cannabis in Virginia without unnecessary barriers. In addition to being a patient, I have worked in the cannabis and hemp industries for many years and have been an early advocate and policy supporter of legalization efforts in Virginia through Hemp HOPE Group. My perspective represents both patient and industry experience, and I strongly urge the Commonwealth to prioritize: • Patient-first access and affordability • Product quality and medical consistency • Fair licensing for small businesses and legacy operators • Clear protections for patients with documented medical need Virginia has a chance to build one of the most ethical and balanced cannabis frameworks in the nation if policy remains centered on public health, economic equity, and patient dignity. Thank you for your time, your service, and the opportunity to submit public comment. Respectfully, Savion Hays Newport News, VA Hemp HOPE Group

Good afternoon Commissioners. Back in October I spoke as someone who lost a skilled-trade shipyard career because of a cannabis conviction. Today, I’m speaking for all of us who lived that same story. Your own data shows Black Virginians were arrested at 3.5 times the rate of whites and still make up nearly 60% of cases. Those convictions didn’t just hurt us — they hurt our families, our communities, and the long-term safety and opportunity of our children. But we didn’t stop. People like me rebuilt from the ground up — teaching ourselves digital systems, agriculture, recycling, hiring returning citizens and the unhoused, and collecting years of data on Virginia’s cannabis buying patterns, consumer trends, and regional demand. We are not the problem — we are the talent, the experience, and the data this industry needs. That’s why the Commonwealth shall establish a Justice-Impacted Cannabis Incubator that operates in perpetuity, fully integrated with WIOA, so training, land access, capital, and real jobs are funded long-term. A responsible, regulated incubator strengthens the legal market, increases child safety, and finally gives those most harmed a fair pathway to participate. If you build it, we will fill it — with skill, with data, and with work that moves Virginia forward. We’re not asking for shortcuts — we’re asking for a fair on-ramp that lets us contribute our skills to the Commonwealth we live in.

I hope to see more licensing go towards small businesses rather than large MSO’s. I am also in full support of cannabis events like farmers markets. Lastly I hope we can also focus on home growers and increasing the plant count law for home cultivation. Thank you

I hosted the largest cannabis "farmer's market" in the country. We safely welcomed more than 5,000 adults, 21 and up, every Saturday with more than 60 vendors, at each location. I would be happy to offer my knowledge regarding the intricacies and nuances of such operations.

Good afternoon, My name is Carlos Toledo and I have been in the cannabis industry since 1999. I am an Alexandria native and have been waiting for the opportunity to be above reproach in this business for over 20 years. I am simply asking for a no lottery fair chance and low barrier cost to entry fee application in my home state. I am what’s commonly drafted in industry legalese as a social equity applicant due to my past non violent felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and my imprisonment for five years with three suspended starting in Fairfax County jail and walking out of Virginia Department of Corrections in Wise county. Despite experiencing the consequences of the law at that time I still love Virginia with all my heart and I’m hoping I can return home to raise my family here and establish a legal cannabis business in Virginia and let my decades of experience finally be able to do what I love legally at the state level. I came home in 2017 and moved to Washington DC based solely on the laws that I wouldn’t be imprisoned for cannabis. I worked for the Army Corp of Engineers while on probation and observed a booming “grey” market economy flourish under the loopholes that the infamous “initiative 71” provided many entrepreneurs and much like what is happening in the commonwealth except my honest assessment of the Virginia “grey market” is people aren’t waiting and the farmers markets are open and if you don’t get it right and include everyone that wants a chance then you will only mega potentiate the “black market” economy. Due to my experience with law enforcement I chose to abstain from opening a storefront to facilitate “unregulated “ products. Instead I focused on the plant genetics and means of localized production. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work on a hemp farm in Virginia and get the real hands on experience and that is what lead me to establish my company GreySky Design & Consulting, which has been successful in acquiring three licenses in Washington DC for medical cannabis retail, cultivation and manufacturing. The journey to get a cultivation facility online in DC has led me on a due diligence period spanning over two years and walking $170 million in commercial real estate inventory. It will be a miracle of God and the universe if I get that license funded and into a property. My network in Virginia is much greater and I have projected the cost to be several million dollars less than the 8M I have to raise for a vertical integrated business model in DC. Virginia is home to some of the best talent the cannabis industry could have and if done correctly we will be one of the best markets to develop on the east coast and that will solely be based on allowing all Legacy operators who wish to come forward absolute and full inclusion. You need realize the reality that you won’t get everyone and you need those Legacy Shepard’s to bring everyone into the dispensary which even further begins by allowing us to grow the plant. We need to able to grow outdoors , in greenhouses and commercially. Testing will be everything. Please do what’s right and give everyone the fair chance! Everyone deserves a fair chance to be a business owner in America. I will pray you folks get this right! Sincerely, Carlos A. Toledo GreySky Design & Consulting INC Five Farms LLC

Hello, My name is Malique Middleton. I’m a graduate from James Madison University with my bachelors in biology minoring in entrepreneurship/pre-medicine and a masters from Virginia Commonwealth University in product innovation. I am a beginner farmer registered with the USDA/FSA stewarding an urban farm as my pathway to a larger farm operation. Using our botanicals grown, I create skin care products via my agribusiness, Gewd Botanicals, while growing food using companion planting to grow food for the community via RVA community fridges. In my undergrad at JMU, pre-2018 farm bill, I worked with my Professor Dr. Mike Renfroe to research industrial hemp through the lens of agriculture in the Shenandoah valley which is predominately sunflower, corn, and soybeans. Working with some of the first legal hemp growers in the valley, and assisting to structure and advocate on behalf of farmers, researchers, and other community members for the 2018 farm bill, VA’s decriminalization and subsequent legalization with outreach such as a field day with Senator Tim Kaine. As a beginner farmer and small agribusiness owner, I would like to see pathways for farmers/small businesses to equally participate in the developing cannabis market. A pathway that doesn’t create barriers to access to the market with exuberant fees for licenses/permits, which as a young farmer/entrepreneur, would not easily be able to access capital for the application process. Or favors/preferences large grow operations/companies instead of Virginia-Grown, artisan/craft grown products from small farms who care about the plant, their community, and the earth underneath. As a young black farmer specifically, there should be conversations around equity within access to the space as well for the decreasing quantity of farmers of color and new pathways with support for welcoming new farmers. Creating a safe and equal opportunity cannabis market is the idea pathway towards a market that economically benefits communities, our local economies, and the state on a larger scale. To also prevent hyper saturation of the market, similar to what was seen with CBD/hemp, proper facilities for processing and inspection should be developed via collected revenue and innovativeness for the use of the entire plant should be considered (animal bedding, feed, cosmetics, building materials, etc.). In allowing beginner/small business and farms to participate in the legal market, we’d all be surprised in the innovation that our Virginians could do within the market.

Start low and go slow with taxes. In every state, the industry struggles at the start and can't bear much tax burden. As time goes on, you can marginalize the illicit market and industry can pay more. If you don't schedule tax increases from the beginning, raising taxes later is like cutting off a cat's tail an inch at a time. See Chapter 5 of the attachment. (Tax by THC, not price, too.)

To Whom It May Concern: I hope there are legal protections for green card holders who wish to be involved in the industry.

Dear Commission Members, Thank you for taking the time and reading my concern regarding privacy in relation to the establishment of the retail cannabis market. As you know, under federal law cannabis use is illegal and poses significant legal consequences for certain people in our commonwealth. In our heated political environment the federal government can revoke an individual’s immigration status as well as deport non-citizens who consume cannabis. Also cannabis use can be used to deny and revoke security clearances of civilian and service personnel who devote their lives to securing our nation. Even for consumers where the above situations do not apply, the fear of data breaches and lack of control of personal identifiable information is concern that all Virginians share. Consumers should have the right to ensure that their cannabis purchases are anonymous similar to the right we currently have with our liquor purchases at the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Commission. In other states that have legalized recreational use like New Jersey and Nevada require scanning and recording identification documents, even for those who are way past the legal age of 21; as a requirement enter the recreational dispensary. Whereas in jurisdictions where manual verification is only required; individual dispensaries make it a condition of sale to scan and record those same documents as well as creating a customer profile. I have attached two amendments that I hope will address these concerns and sincerely hope that they can make it into the final legislation in some form. Sincerely Angela Sanford, Arlington VA

Summary: In our submission to the Joint Commission, we recommend two key updates to Virginia’s adult-use framework: first, limiting local opt-outs so the state doesn’t end up with “cannabis deserts” that push consumers back to the illicit market, especially as enforcement ramps up on intoxicating hemp. Second, we suggest adopting a flexible licensing model, similar to Ohio’s biennial review system, so regulators can adjust license counts as demand grows. Together, these shifts would support safer consumer access, a more competitive market and a smoother transition into a regulated adult-use system.

Please see written comments attached as a PDF. Written comments detail my expertise and interest in the topic (transitioning Virginia to a Cannabis Retail Market) and expresses my desire to see a diverse marketplace in Virginia based on case studies from other markets. My objective is to urge the commission to prioritize single-state operators and to prioritize single-state operators, social equity licenses and benefits to justice-impacted individuals in our state's legalization of cannabis.

Thank you for listening to us. Not as stereotypes, not as numbers, but as Virginians. Thank you for hearing from farmers who put seeds in the ground with hope — not for profit, but to survive another season, keep their land, and continue a legacy. Thank you for listening to small business owners who don’t have investors or lobbyists, just passion, purpose, and a commitment to their communities. Thank you for recognizing the people behind this industry — the patients, the families, the veterans, the neighbors — who are trying to live better, safer, healthier lives. Your decision will change more than policy. It will change whether farmers can keep their fields. Whether small businesses can stay local instead of being swallowed by corporations. And whether communities that have struggled for decades finally get a chance to rebuild from the inside, with opportunity instead of punishment. You’ve shown that Virginia doesn’t have to choose between safety and compassion, or between regulation and independence. We can build a market that reflects who we are — resilient, innovative, and rooted in our own soil. Thank you for taking the time to hear us out. Thank you for helping create a future where Virginians can grow, build, and heal here at home.

“LICENSE THIS” — VIRGINIA CANNABIS CORRUPTION RAP Public Comment Remix — December 2, 2025 Yo, listen up, Legislature, let me talk real clear, You sold out Virginia to a Beam liquor heir, Canadian suits whisperin’ right in your ear, And you call it “regulation”? Nah — corruption is here. You ain’t buildin’ no future, you ain’t buildin’ no farms, You handin’ out licenses for money and charms, Letting lobbyists write laws with foreign palms, While real Virginians get cut, no shields, no arms. I see the game — this the same old script, Michigan, Missouri — whole systems flipped, Bribes in the boardroom, pockets all dipped, Then the DOJ drops in and everybody gets clipped. You watched Michigan burn, but you still want smoke, Their chairman took bribes — whole system went broke, Micro-grows got crushed, dreams turned to jokes, But you copy that model? Man, you people provoke. Where’s your cannabis comin’ from? Answer that, please. Not from VA soil or the hands of our trees, Not from small growers knocked down to their knees, You importin’ foreign pounds like it’s government cheese. Canadian megafarms been waitin’ for years, Foreign investors smell money like blood in the gears, They ain’t here for community — they’re engineers Of a pipeline that turns VA into new market frontiers. You violate civil rights with these licensing walls, Rich white insiders get the keys to the halls, Everybody else stuck watchin’ the stalls, Like Marbury v. Madison don’t apply to y’all. Stop the lies, stop the deals, stop the imported greed, Stop lettin’ out-of-state cartels take the lead, Stop buildin’ a system that nobody here needs, Stop lettin’ corporate lobby groups plant the seed. I’m callin’ it out — drop the façade, Your plan ain’t legal, fair, or even odds, This whole setup stinks — your hands ain’t clean, squad. You ain’t buildin’ industry — you buildin’ a fraud. So here’s my demand: Shut this scheme down. No licenses. No rules. No corporate crown. Wait for the feds before you play with this town. And hear this final line, carved deep in the stone: All pre-federal license holders? Leave ‘em alone. Ban ‘em from the future — they built their thrones On corruption, exclusion, and taxpayer loans. Virginia deserves better than this licensing scam, Real people, real growers, not your corporate sham. Protect this state — that’s the job you swore to. Stand with the public or the public will floor you. Submitted. Tupac

WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT — VIRGINIA CANNABIS LICENSING BOARD December 2, 2025 “This Is Corruption. Shame on You.” To the Virginia Legislature and the Cannabis Licensing Board: Shame on you. This licensing scheme is corruption in the open, and you know it. You are not protecting Virginians. You are handing this entire market to political insiders, foreign investors, and lobbyists who have no connection to this state. Let me say it plainly. You are letting a Beam liquor heir and Canadian-backed lobbyists shape Virginia’s cannabis future. They are not here to build farms. They are not here to create opportunity. They are here to secure control before federal law changes. You are letting outsiders buy influence while shutting out the people you claim to represent. You have watched this same disaster unfold across the country. Michigan. Missouri. Illinois. California. Nevada. Arkansas. Every licensed state ends in the same DOJ storyline: bribery, monopolies, corruption, collapse. Michigan’s licensing chairman went to prison. Missouri had federal bribery cases. Illinois and California are under investigation. The pattern is identical. Licensing equals corruption. Yet you push Virginia into the same fire. Your “micro-grower license” is a lie. Michigan created the same fake path. It wiped out every small grower. Nobody could compete with the foreign-funded mega-grows. The same will happen here. You know that. You are repeating it anyway. Let me ask you the question you keep dodging: Where will Virginia’s cannabis come from? Not from Virginia farmers. Not from micro-growers. Not from locals locked out by your fees and red tape. Without USDA rules, DEA import authority, and federal law, you have no legal supply chain at all. And you know corporations will not grow here. They will import. They will use Virginia as a funnel, not an industry. This is the same play used in Michigan, where foreign product flows through METRC while locals get wiped out. You are not creating jobs. You are not building a market. You are delivering Virginia to Canadian corporations and wealthy elites who see this state as a staging ground for a future federal takeover. Your scheme violates basic civil rights. You are creating exclusive economic rights for a tiny, wealthy group. You are discriminating by wealth, race, and political access. You are ignoring federal precedent, including Marbury v. Madison, which makes clear that states cannot grant private monopolies for a federally illegal commodity. This is corruption. And you know it. So here is my demand: Stop this process now. No more licenses. No more rules. No advancement of this scheme. Not until federal law exists. Not until USDA, DOJ, IRS, and SEC oversight exists. Not until every Virginian has equal access to any future cannabis market. And I will go further: All pre-federal state cannabis license holders must be permanently excluded from any future SEC-regulated market. They built their positions through corruption, insider access, and discriminatory licensing. They should not be rewarded with federal legitimacy or investor capital. Virginians deserve better. They deserve a fair, open, federal system — not a cartel run by lobbyists, a Beam heir, and Canadian corporations. Stop this scheme. Stop this corruption. Wait for federal law. Protect Virginians, not the people buying your votes. Submitted for the record.

Recommendation: Do not include provision banning fruit and animals on packaging in the statute

Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments. My name is Ellis Norman. I’m a Virginia resident and an entrepreneur preparing a compliant small-business cultivation facility in southeastern Virginia. I appreciate the work this Commission and Governor-elect Spanberger are doing to build a safe and effective adult-use market. A legal market will only succeed if responsible Virginia businesses can participate. States that relied on national operators, capped licenses too early, or set fees and requirements beyond reach saw high prices, limited access, and an illicit market that never disappeared. Virginia can avoid that by creating a system that supports competition, realistic entry points, and enough licenses to meet demand. Strong rules for testing, tracking, and security are essential. But licensing fees and capital requirements must reflect actual regulatory needs. When only large companies can afford to enter, the market loses competition, innovation, and the local economic benefits legalization is supposed to bring. A workable implementation timeline also matters. Small businesses need time to secure property, financing, equipment, and contractors once regulations are finalized. Compressed timelines favor large operators with existing capital and infrastructure. A clear runway and predictable licensing phases will help Virginia businesses build safe, compliant facilities without rushing or cutting corners. Compliance should also be strong but scaled. Testing, security, and tracking can be consistent across the industry, but the cost of meeting those standards should not assume the footprint of a national MSO. Right-sized compliance protects consumers while giving small operators a fair chance to compete. Virginia has many capable small businesses ready to follow the rules and invest. We need clear standards, fair costs, and a licensing process that a well-run Virginia business can meet. Local ownership keeps jobs, tax revenue, and reinvestment inside the Commonwealth. A market that includes Virginia-based small and mid-sized operators—alongside larger firms—will be more resilient and serve consumers better. Equity should also play a role. Virginians harmed by past cannabis enforcement should have a fair path into the industry. This builds trust and reflects the values outlined by the administration. If the goal is to move consumers away from the illicit market, access and competition must be part of the structure. A narrow market with high barriers cannot compete with unregulated supply. A competitive, well-regulated market with real entry points for Virginia businesses is essential for legalization to succeed. Virginia has the chance to build a functional, balanced, and community-focused market. I’m committed to meeting the standards the Commonwealth sets and appreciate the opportunity to contribute. Thank you for your consideration. Ellis Norman

Shame on you for legalizing, sells, or promoted cannabis as a “recreational drug” does not care for human life. For decades we have been educated on the harmful consequences of marijuana. In addition, today marijuana is more potent than ever with chemicals added into it. Most common sense people don’t want to be live around these people who use marijuana. Crime, corruption, violence, accidents, illness, and poor decision making are some of the consequences for allowing drug use. I know several people who had a thriving business career and happy family, but marijuana use has destroyed their credibility, relationships, and mental capacity. Again, hypocrites all who want EVs, windmills, solar panels to decrease emissions from the atmosphere, but advocate to pollute our air with drugs that are toxic to breathe inhale. You believe it is safe for children to breathe in toxins while they play outside? Do you believe it healthy for renters and homeowners to breathe in marijuana toxins through air the air vents? I hope not! Hopefully, you don’t want that in your own homes, communities, neighborhoods, and schools. For years, many educators smell cigarette smoke from their students. Now add the stench of marijuana on them. This is abuse. We deserve better from politicians who encourage destructive behaviors and low standards such as killing innocent human beings inside or outside the womb, drugs use, gambling, gangs, prostitution, human and drug trafficking, lenient consequences for criminals, cash bail outs, smash and grab, defund the police, antisemitism protests, homeless encampments, violent Antifa, censorship, lockdowns, forced vaccinations and masks, divisive rhetoric based on race, gender, religion, education, and privilege in our society. Please Democrats stop enabling people to be serfs dependent upon your authoritative government system. God help us