CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) – Virginia Cannabis Control Authority hosted a town halls in Chester on Tuesday night with a goal to answer the public’s questions about cannabis.
Virginia Cannabis Control Authority hosted a town halls across the Commonwealth. The latest meeting came to the area after Chesterfield County recently blocked a medical marijuana company from obtaining building permits to open a store last October. The county cited federal laws at the time for rejecting the company “Green Leaf Medical” from developing a dispensary along Midlothian Turnpike.
According to Deputy County Administrator Jesse Smith, under federal law marijuana is a Schedule I drug with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Tuesday’s meeting was the first time Virginia Cannabis Control Authority has come to Central Virginia, and residents in the area had lots of questions to ask about the plant.
“I wanted to come out to learn more about what the board hopes to do and how it’s going to regulate the future of cannabis,” local Dr. Scott Keel said.
Keel shared concerns about the effects of marijuana on children as well as their potentially increasing access to it.
“As an adolescent physician, how do we protect the kids and model the behaviors that we need to see?” Keel said.
Others, like Anthony Gregory who work for a medical marijuana company, asked about what is being done to protect legally operating businesses like his.
“What is going to be done in the future for good faith actors like myself and my company who are trying to provide a true service to our community and help people?” Gregory said.
Virginia Cannabis Control Authority plans to have another meeting in Harrisonburg on July 12.
