Virginia lawmakers have introduced House Bill 642 in the 2026 legislative session to establish a legal framework for adult-use cannabis retail sales, including a clear earliest possible launch date for the regulated marketplace.

Under the bill, retail marijuana sales in the Commonwealth may not occur prior to November 1, 2026, marking a target date for the potential start of lawful commercial cannabis transactions if the legislation is enacted and signed into law.

HB 642 — introduced by Del. Paul Krizek and referred to the House General Laws Committee on January 13, 2026 — would empower the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to oversee licensing and enforcement for a new adult-use market.

The November 1, 2026 date functions as a statutory minimum: retail sales may not begin before then, but actual launch timing depends on the bill’s progress through the General Assembly, potential amendments, and final gubernatorial approval.

Efforts to legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis retail have been ongoing since the General Assembly legalized possession and home cultivation in 2021 but left commercial sales unimplemented. Previous bills in 2025 set earlier target dates (such as May 1, 2026) for sales, but those measures were vetoed.

In late 2025, a Joint Commission on the Future of Cannabis Sales released a comprehensive retail framework recommending a November 1, 2026 rollout if lawmakers pass and the governor signs enabling legislation.

The General Assembly session began in January 2026, and HB 642 remains under committee review. If the bill clears both chambers and receives gubernatorial assent, November 1, 2026 stands as the earliest statutory date that licensed cannabis retailers could begin selling adult-use marijuana in Virginia.