With a new Democratic majority in the state legislature, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is hoping to make major reforms to the state's cannabis laws.
Herring, who is hosting a cannabis summit on December 11, told Cheddar on Tuesday he is bringing together legislators and experts in an effort to push forward his calls for reform.
"I'm really encouraged about the prospect of actually passing decriminalization in Virginia and the prospect of actually passing a plan to move to legal and regulated adult use," he said.
Herring is hopeful that by providing lawmakers a space to ask questions and address concerns with experts, as well as individuals from states that have already legalized or decriminalized marijuana use, his state can move towards passing new legislation.
Marijuana arrests in Virginia hit a 20-year high in 2018, and enforcement costs the state more than $80 million annually, Herring said.
"In Virginia, an arrest and a criminal conviction stays with you your whole life … That's not fair," he said, noting the disproportionate number of black Virginians arrested for marijuana possession.
But he says he is confident Virginia can move forward "in a historic way."
Will Smith and director Antoine Fuqua have pulled production of their runaway slave drama “Emancipation” from Georgia over the state’s recently enacted law restricting voting access.
La Soufriere volcano has fired an enormous amount of ash and hot gas in the biggest explosive eruption yet since volcanic activity began on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent late last week.
Zahi Hawass says that archaeologists found brick houses, artifacts, and tools from pharaonic times at the site of the 3,000-year-old lost city.
The White House won't surge vaccines to Michigan as it sees the worst outbreak in the country, a police shooting in Minneapolis, an historic win at the Masters, and more.
Cheddar senior reporter Michelle Castillo visited the world’s first NFT art gallery Superchief Gallery NFT
For the first time in at least a year, Hollywood is celebrating its first clear-cut box office success of the COVID era.
DMX, the raspy-voiced hip-hop artist who produced the songs “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here)" and who rapped with a trademark delivery that was often paired with growls, barks and “What!” as an ad-lib, has died, according to a statement from his family. He was 50.
Prince Philip, the irascible and tough-minded husband of Queen Elizabeth II who spent more than seven decades supporting his wife in a role that both defined and constricted his life, has died, Buckingham Palace said Friday. He was 99.
Jill and Carlo are discussing President Biden's action on gun violence, which comes during a particularly fraught week of shootings in America. Plus, overnight developments on the Amazon union drive in Alabama, and Carlo's pet theory on anti-maskers.
Restaurateur, TV host, and chef Guy Fieri put together a twist on the classic grilled cheese sandwich for National Grilled Cheese Month.
