As the holidays approach, marijuana regulators in states where cannabis is legal are sending out reminders on social media about how to legally “give the gift of green” this season.
Among the agencies sending out seasonal tidings are Virginia’s Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) and the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC).
The latter agency even retooled lyrics from The Sound of Music, posted alongside a 17-second slideshow of marijuana products:
The New Jersey officials noted that there are more than 190 licensed cannabis retailers statewide going into the holiday season, pointing consumers to an online list of where to find one.
In Virginia, meanwhile, the state’s Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) is sharing advice on social media about how to incorporate cannabis into the holiday season safely and legally, reminding residents of rules around gifting marijuana and urging them to “crash on the couch, not the road” if they choose to consume.
Efforts in that state in recent years to legalize regulated marijuana sales in the state have failed, but personal possession, use and limited home cultivation are allowed under cannabis legislation enacted in 2021. Thus, the gist of the CCA guidance on gifting over the holiday season is to make sure that money isn’t part of the equation.
In Virginia, someone can legally give another person up to one ounce of marijuana, but only if the transfer happens privately, between two adults 21 or older and “without exchanging anything else of value.” Similarly, one adult can privately gift another cannabis seeds or starts to grow themselves provided that nothing else of value is exchanged.
Under state law, adults can grow up to four cannabis plants at a private primary residence, the CCA reminds residents in an advisory linked in a holiday-themed social media post.
The guidance is broadly intended to be clear that gray market schemes, in which marijuana is “gifted” in connection with another commercial transaction, for example, remain illegal in Virginia.
CCA’s reminder also notes that it’s “legal to use cannabis in a private residence.”
In a separate notice on social media, CCA urged residents not to drive under the influence of marijuana, asking them to take a safe-driving pledge to find a sober driver, consume at home, walk or call a rideshare service or simply “wait it out” after consuming.
“It’s the time of year for holiday gatherings & get-togethers,” the agency said. “If you’re feeling toasted, make sure you’ve got a sober ride. Crash on the couch, not the road.”
The agency also warned of the consequences of being caught under the influence. A first-time offense carries a $250 mandatory penalty and could lead to a one-year jail sentence and fine of up to $2,500 as well as the loss of a driver’s license for up to a year.
“The consequences for driving high are serious because the dangers of cannabis-impaired driving are serious; driving while high is a hazard to everyone who shares the road,” the CCA safe-driving page says. “Think of others and your own well-being and think twice before driving high.”
It’s not uncommon for officials in states where marijuana is legal to launch campaigns ahead of the holiday season to encourage safe, responsible use of the drug. Last month, for example, multiple states, as well as federal officials in the U.S. and Canada, issued reminders about their marijuana laws ahead of Thanksgiving. Some urged adults to consume responsibly if they planned to partake during the holiday, while others warned people to avoid traveling across political borders with cannabis.
In recent years, cannabis regulators across the country—including in Virginia and New Jersey, along with California, New York, Massachusetts and others—have similarly marked the holiday season with messages about gifting marijuana, keeping cannabis products secure and even making infused Christmas cookies.
“Planning to get high on holiday cheer? As you gear up for the festivities, keep the good times rollin’ in the safest way possible, and make sure your plans include a sober ride,” CCA said last year.
Meanwhile, calls in Virginia continue for the state to legalize a commercial cannabis market, with advocates pointing to complaints from law enforcement that the vast majority of drug-related crime is now tied to marijuana.
“Where you may think it will be heroin, you may think it will be cocaine, methamphetamine, nope. It’s marijuana,” Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate said in June. “We have young men losing their lives in this community today over 200 dollars’ worth of marijuana. Marijuana drives a lot of my shooting violence, it drives a lot of my robbery violence, and it drives a lot of my homicide violence.”
Sen. Aaron Rouse (D), who sponsored the Senate version of a bill this year that would have legalized and regulated retail sales of marijuana in the commonwealth, said regulating the market would have helped reduce violence around cannabis supply.
“Our young people are killing each other over something where we could attempt to mitigate those interactions by regulating marijuana,” Rouse said at the time.
Though Virginia’s legislature passed the retail sales bill this session, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) rejected it in March, claiming in a veto message that states that have legalized “have seen adverse effects on children’s and adolescent’s health and safety, increased gang activity and violent crime, significant deterioration in mental health, decreased road safety, and significant costs associated with retail marijuana that far exceed tax revenue.”
Democratic senators said the veto means it’s likely legal stores won’t open in Virginia until 2027 or later.
Earlier this month, Rouse and another lawmaker, Del. Paul Krizek (D) announced plans to reintroduce legalization legislation in the coming 30-day legislative session that kicks off next month.
“I think we have to,” Krizek told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday. “I think it’s incumbent on us to introduce it again to keep it alive.”
Meanwhile in New Jersey, the holiday season will pass without licensed social consumption businesses. The state Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved rules for the operation of cannabis consumption areas almost 10 months ago, but the commission has still not opened applications for retailers who want to run the lounges.
Ben Adlin via (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/ahead-of-holidays-state-marijuana-regulators-post-festive-reminders-on-how-to-give-the-gift-of-green-legally/)
Keep out of reach of children. For use only by adults 21 years of age and older.
