West Virginia marijuana Archives

West Virginia Lawmaker Introduces Legislation to Legalize Marijuana and Hash

January 11, 2018January 11, 2018

A proposal that would make marijuana and hash legal throughout West Virginia has been filed in the state’s legislature.

House Bill 3035 was filed by Delegate Sean Hornbuckle (D). According to its summary, the purpose of this bill “is to legalize the manufacture, sale and possession of marijuana and establish a regulatory program for growing, selling and testing of marijuana sold in West Virginia.”

The measure would allow those 21 and older to possess and use up to an ounce of marijuana and up to five grams of hash; they would also be allowed to grow up to six cannabis plants (with up to three allowed to be in the “mature” stage at any given time). A system of licensed marijuana retail outlets would also be authorized.

West Virginia Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Approved by Legislature, Governor Expected to Sign

April 6, 2017

West Virginia’s legislature has approved a bill that would make West Virginia the 29th state to adopt an comprehensive medical marijuana law. Governor Jim Justice is expected to sign it into law.

Senate Bill 386 received final approval in the West Virginia Legislature on Thursday and is headed to the desk of Governor Jim Justice. Justice has publicly expressed support for legal access to medical marijuana and is expected to sign the bill into law.

Senate Bill 386, introduced by Sen. Richard Ojeda (D-Logan), received initial approval from the Senate last week (28-6). The House substantially amended the bill before approving it on Tuesday (76-24). The Senate passed the new version on concurrence Wednesday afternoon (28-6), along with some minor amendments, and the House signed off on the final version Thursday (74-24).

West Virginia House Approves Amended Medical Marijuana Bill

April 3, 2017

An amended version of a medical marijuana legalization bill that recently passed West Virginia’s Senate has received approval from the House of Delegates.

An amended version of Senate Bill 386 was passed by the House of Delegates today through its second reading. The measure recently passed the full Senate with a 28 to 6 vote. It will now need to be passed through one more reading in the House, before being sent back to the Senate now that it’s been amended. If it passes the Senate again it will go to the desk of Governor Jim Justice, who is supportive of medical cannabis.

Initially, the measure would have legalized medical cannabis for those with a qualifying condition who receive a recommendation from a physician and register with the state. The West Virginia Medical Cannabis Commission would have been established to oversee a system of licensed and regulated medical cannabis dispensaries, which would have been supplied by cannabis cultivation centers.

West Virginia House Gives Initial Approval to Medical Cannabis Legalization, Governor in Support

March 30, 2017

A bill to legalize medical marijuana was given initial approval today by the West Virginia House of Delegates.

In a rare procedural move, the House of Delegates voted 54 to 40 today to bypass the committee process and bring Senate Bill 386 directly to the floor of the House. The vote comes just a day after the measure was passed by the state’s full Senate with a 28 to 6 vote.

A second reading of the bill is planned for tomorrow. If approved through its second reading, the measure will need to be passed through one more vote in the House before being sent to Governor Jim Justice for consideration; Governor Justice says he supports medical cannabis, and is likely to sign it into law if it reaches his desk.

Legislation to Legalize Medical Marijuana Passed by Full West Virginia Senate

March 29, 2017

Medical marijuana would be legal under a bill approved today by West Virginia’s full Senate.

Substitute Senate Bill 386 was passed through its third and final reading today with a 28 to 6 vote, sending it to the House of Representatives. Passage in the House would send it to Governor Jim Justice for consideration.

The proposed legislation would legalize medical marijuana possession and use for those with a qualifying condition who receive a doctor recommendation. The West Virginia Medical Cannabis Commission would be created to oversee a regulated and licensed system of cannabis cultivation centers and dispensaries. Dispensaries would be authorized to distribute cannabis and cannabis products to qualifying patients.

Report: If West Virginia Legalized Cannabis, State Would Get Tens of Millions in Annual Taxes

August 18, 2016

A new report conducted by the nonprofit West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy has found that West Virginia would get tens of millions of dollars in new taxes each year if they were to legalize cannabis for recreational purposes.

According to the report, if cannabis were legalized with a tax of 25% of its wholesale price, the state would garner an estimated $45 million in new taxes each year from residents. a 15% tax would garner the state less, but still a significant sum; $26.8 million.

The report estimates that if just 10% of those who living within a 200-mile radius of West Virginia came to the state to legally purchase cannabis, the state would garner an additional $194 million in taxes at a 25% rate; they would garner $116.5 million at a 15% tax rate.