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."
Cheddar's Need2Know Podcast for Wed., June 17, 2020.
Cheddar's Need2Know Podcast for Tues., June 16, 2020.
Emma Bengtsson, executive chef at Michelin two-star Aquavit, transformed her high-end restaurant into haute takeout in the midst of the coronavirus as the New York City restaurant scene awaits the go ahead to reopen.
Recent data shows that Quibi isn't gaining as much traction with viewers as one might expect, especially with the initial subscribers' three-month free trial period wrapping up in a few weeks.
Six former eBay Inc. employees have been charged with waging an extensive campaign to terrorize and intimidate the editor and publisher of an online newsletter with threats and disturbing deliveries to their home, including live spiders and cockroaches.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that existing civil rights law protects LGBT people from discrimination in employment.
Michael James Nuells was a contractor working with Disney. He served as a special events manager in the Parks, Experiences and Products division overseeing the technology and digital team, before his contract was terminated early amid the pandemic.
What exactly "defund" means in practice varies depending on who you're asking, but the broader goal is simple: funnel money away from law enforcement into other public programs.
The problem of homelessness continues to get worse in Los Angeles County. The number of homeless people counted over the past year jumped nearly 13% to more than 66,000 and officials fear another spike due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
As Twitter waded into controversy for taking steps to fight misinformation and controversial remarks from perhaps its most famous tweeter, President Donald Trump, Facebook has taken the opposite tack, but with no less backlash.
