[20200529]LSB10482_州大麻“合法化”和联邦毒品法：国会简要概述.pdf

CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Legal SidebarLegal Sidebari i State Marijuana “Legalization” and Federal Drug Law: A Brief Overview for Congress May 29, 2020 On May 21, 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation decriminalizing the possession of marijuana under Virginia state law. Under the new Virginia law, possession of up to an ounce of marijuana will be punishable by a civil penalty of no more than $25. The new statute does not make marijuana possession legal; instead, individuals who possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use will no longer face jail time under state law. Another Virginia statute enacted in 2020 permits the possession of certain cannabis-derived products for medical purposes. Virginia is one of a number of states that in recent years have relaxed criminal prohibitions on the production, distribution, and possession of cannabis. Following these changes to state law, medical and recreational cannabis businesses have begun operating openly in some parts of the United States. News outlets reporting recent changes to state marijuana laws often broadly refer to such efforts as either “decriminalizing” or “lega