Virginia Marijuana | VA Marijuana Virginia Marijuana News and Info
House Bill 1251 recently passed the Virginia Legislature. It allows for the use of CBD and THC-A, both non-psychoactive, for medical use. Practitioners can certify the use of these cannabinoids.
Prior to the passage of HB 1251, the THC-A or CBD oils were only permitted for those with epilepsy, WHSV 3 News reports. Now, any diagnosed health condition or disease qualifies for use of the cannabinoids – with written doctor certification. One of the conditions expected to see many certifications is chronic pain.
Scott McLellan of Harrisonburg NORML said, “The doctor would then sign a certificate that the patient could keep with their cannabis oil. That certificate then acts as a legal defense in the case that one might get caught up in law enforcement.”
McLellan also said, “For some who may have Parkinson’s, Crohn’s, cancer, things like that, who may take other drugs where the side effects are too great for them. Those people have taken, you know, 12 different kinds of medicine at once, and they start using medical marijuana and then they only use that and that seems to provide greater relief for them.”
No other forms of medical marijuana or marijuana cannabinoids are covered by the affirmative defense laid out in HB 1251, which passed unanimously.
A recent poll showed that 93-percent of Virginians support medical marijuana use when recommended by a doctor.
Virginians with the affirmative defense certificates are urged to keep their papers with their oil at all times. This means that if you are not at home and your oil is with you – make sure you have that paper should interaction with law enforcement occur. If the law enforcement refuses to accept the certificate, make sure you have it in court. The certificate should be provided to the court 10-days before trial.
In Virginia, the oils must be at least 15-percent CBD or THC-A but cannot contain more than 5-percent THC. The higher CBD to THC or THC-A to THC ratios won’t allow the oils to produce a high as CBD works to reduce the effects of THC.
