Portsmouth Virginia delegate Steve Heretick has introduced a bill to legalize marijuana in Virginia.
If passed, Heretick’s bill would eliminate criminal penalties for adults over the age of 21, and decriminalize possession for people under 21 with civil penalties no greater than $250.
In a statement Wednesday, Heretick said “The time has come for adults to have the freedom to decide for themselves whether or not to consume marijuana in the privacy of their homes.”
Heretick’s bill would provide a marijuana sales tax of 15 percent, of which 67 percent of revenues collected are put into general fund, and 33 percent of revenues are deposited into a “Retail Marijuana Education Support Fund” to be used for public education.
Only 10 states have legalized marijuana, and 13 have decriminalized it.
Virginia currently only allows marijuana use for medical purposes.