Elizabeth Melson, a candidate for State Senate District 28, represents a mosaic of roles: a mother, wife, advocate, business owner, and farmer. Known for her grassroots initiatives, her vision for the district illuminates a roadmap for governance that seeks to bridge divides and uplift communities.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Hemp businesses are challenging a state law that goes into effect July 1, which sets the maximum amount of THC in hemp products at 0.3% and 2mg per package.

Businesses say laws like this are pushing them out of Virginia and violate interstate commerce.

Virginia lawmakers passed a bill in February setting tougher rules on hemp-based products, focusing on those that get people high that have been sold at gas stations, smoke shops and other businesses since Virginia legalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis in 2021.

Two hemp businesses and a private citizen are challenging a Virginia law that instituted tougher limits on hemp products in Virginia in federal court, saying the new rules cause financial harm to hemp businesses and interfere in interstate commerce.

Virginia’s new stricter rules took effect, notably aimed at delta-8 THC sellers, leading to a round of warning letters sent out to retailers who were caught selling products out of compliance. Copycat treats, delta-8 THC products, and others were flagged.

“This is just going way over the top, as we warned everyone,” Jason Amatucci, president of the Virginia Hemp Coalition, told Virginia Mercury. “They’re fining people and they’re being very aggressive about it.”

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Some hemp sellers across the commonwealth are receiving penalties for selling products with a THC content higher than 0.3%.

The Virginia Hemp Coalition, an advocacy group in Charlottesville, believes the state’s actions on THC products has gone too far and is hurting businesses.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Some hemp sellers across the commonwealth are receiving penalties for selling products with a THC content higher than 0.3%.

The Virginia Hemp Coalition, an advocacy group in Charlottesville, believes the state’s actions on THC products has gone too far and is hurting businesses.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The owner of Chesapeake Tobacco & Vape faces a $13,000 fine for not following the state's new law adding regulations to hemp-derived products, according to the notice sent to the business by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

“They are trying to scare us and shut the industry down,” says Jason Amatucci of the Virginia Hemp Coalition, a long-established marijuana advocacy organization. “A lot of businesses are telling me that they’ve had enough, why operate in a state that treats you like trash?”

What's happening: The legislation hopes to close a loophole that allowed the sale of products containing THC, the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana, as long as producers distilled and synthesized it from low-THC cannabis plants, i.e., hemp.

Why it matters: Hemp industry advocates warn that the new law will push consumers to the black market and force some small businesses to close.

The changes intend to ensure the continued availability of therapeutic CBD products while toughening efforts to clear store shelves of products with Delta-8 THC.

With no revised budget on the table yet, Senate Democrats on Wednesday postponed a potential showdown with Gov. Glenn Youngkin on tax cuts and spending priorities, but they reminded the governor that the legislature does not back down on policy decisions it already has made.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Governor Glenn Youngkin (R - Virginia) has amended a hotly-debated hemp regulation bill to allow for the use of therapeutic products some Virginia families rely on for medical reasons.

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has proposed a rewrite of a bill that aimed to ban the recreational sales of intoxicating hemp-derived products, seeking to ensure the continued availability of certain therapeutic CBD formulations.

As lawmakers returned to Richmond for a single day to take up mostly minor amendments and vetoes sent down by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the question of what to do about hemp products that contain enough THC to mimic the high of marijuana was the most buzzworthy item on the agenda.

NORFOLK, Va. — A bill passed this week in the Virginia Senate could add regulations to the sale of hemp derived products, but opponents argue the bill goes too far.

A hemp task force led by the Youngkin administration recently recommended creating a registration system for businesses that sell hemp products. Legislation has been introduced to do just that, requiring businesses to pay $1,000 to register and creating the possibility of $10,000 fines for retailers who break the rules.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - On Saturday, Sept. 10, the Virginia Hemp Coalition and the Commonwealth Collective hosted its first ever Virginia Cannabis Freedom Festival.