On Wednesday, as legislators reconvened in Richmond to consider minor amendments and vetoes from Youngkin, hemp products with THC levels capable of producing marijuana-like effects were the hot topic on their agenda. Virginia Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment joked that he might miss his birthday dinner due to all the discussions regarding cannabis-related matters during the one-day session.
The new law, effective on July 1, will include Youngkin’s insertion of an exception for therapeutic CBD products that Virginia mothers say are necessary for treating their epileptic children’s seizures. To achieve that, Youngkin’s version allows retail hemp products that contain a ratio of 25-to-1 of CBD (cannabidiol) to THC.
In a statement emailed to The Epoch Times, Youngkin’s spokeswoman Macaulay Porter explained the governor’s rationale: “The Governor’s amendment continues his efforts to crack down on dangerous THC intoxicants, including synthetic products such as Delta 8.”
“Following feedback from parents whose children have experienced positive benefits from CBD products, the substitute also includes a narrowly tailored exemption clarifying that the legislation will not outlaw those therapeutic products. Governor Youngkin’s substitute takes into account these critically necessary products while going even further to clear store shelves of illegal products responsible for sending children to the hospital,” she added.
Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Va.), the sponsor of the hemp bill, used his aunt’s rum cake as an analogy for explaining the 25:1 ratio of CBD to THC Youngkin proposed: “It’s like how the rum in a cake doesn’t make you intoxicated because there’s more sugar, flour, eggs and other ingredients present.”
Del. Dawn Adams, a nurse practitioner, cautioned that this exemption could create “a state-sanctioned illicit THC market,” which she warned would backfire.
The hemp industry has consistently voiced strong opposition to the bill. On Wednesday, Jason Amatucci, president of the Virginia Hemp Coalition, issued a statement saying he expected the new law to be challenged in court.
Vetoes Sustained
Democrats fell short of reaching the two-thirds threshold required in each chamber to overturn Youngkin’s vetoes.Youngkin vetoed three bills that would have allowed public utility and broadband service vehicles to park on private property without consent temporarily, made changes in state employee grievance procedures, and convened a work group to study vehicle noise levels.
At the end of the reconvene session, Youngkin said in a statement: “Today’s reconvene session once again showed us that together we can find commonsense solutions on behalf of the 8.7 million Virginians who hired us.
“I was humbled to see legislators from both sides of the aisle come together around our proposals to lower the cost of living with more transparency around electric utility legislation, strengthen the enforcement on our new ban on the purchase of agricultural land by foreign adversaries, and improve our enforcement of intoxicating hemp product regulations.”
In response, Youngkin commented, “I am shocked by the Virginia Democrats’ decision to put politics before the safety of Virginians, especially our youth, online, at home, and at work.”
The original bill that required an internet user to show a government-issued ID to prove the age of 18 or above before accessing a pornography site was sent back to Youngkin for him to either sign or veto it.
