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."
Discovery is joining the increasingly crowded streaming fray with its own reality-focused service Discovery Plus that will include shows from the Food Network, HGTV, TLC.
A grave warning from the head of the CDC as hospitalizations top 100K; states start mobilizing for vaccine rollout; where things stand with the stimulus talks and more.
Feed your mind with hundreds of audio courses led by well-known names like Alexis Ohanian and Scott Kelly.
Dayna Isom Johnson, the resident trend expert for Etsy, joined Cheddar to discuss the e-commerce platform's commitment to diversity and inclusion among its workforce and its sellers.
New clues have surfaced in the disappearance of a gleaming monolith in Utah that seemed to melt away as mysteriously as it appeared in the red-rock desert.
The Transportation Department issued a final rule Wednesday covering service animals. The rule says only dogs can qualify, and they have to be specially trained to help a person with disabilities.
Britain authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for use Wednesday, greenlighting the first shot backed up by rigorous scientific review. The first vaccinations are expected within days — a major step toward eventually ending the pandemic.
Britain gives the go-ahead for the Pfizer vaccine, marking the beginning of the end of the pandemic. Jill and Carlo discuss an incredible medical and scientific milestone, as well as the presidential pardons that could be coming, Salesforce's deal to buy Slack. Plus, free food.
Under-$50 Gadgets for Anyone on Your Shopping List
Bombas has donated one pair of socks to homeless shelters for every pair sold to customers, donating a total of 45 million products, with 3.4 million more planned for this holiday season.
