ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)– The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) held a public hearing to educate people about cannabis laws in the Commonwealth on April 19th, while giving residents a chance to have their questions answered.

“Have y’all had the opportunity to create enforcement procedures or education for the community to prevent youth access?” said one resident who attended the meeting.

Another resident questioned whether or not the Cannabis Control Authority would be in support of identifying cannabis medicine as an advanced practice.

They also discussed the cannabis laws adopted in this year’s general assembly.

“Hemp, the Virginia Department of Agriculture has primary responsibility there. They are the ones who are regulating sales,” Jeremy Preiss, CCA Acting Head and Chief Office of Regulatory, Polic, and External Affairs.

The original bill aimed to add a bittering agent to make the flavor less appealing, and a 2-milligram THC cap on products for both retailers and manufacturers– the cap making the product less potent.

Governor Youngkin stepped in making amendments to the bill getting rid of the bittering agent and allowing products to exceed that cap as long as there is a 25 to one CBD to THC ratio.

Derek Wall with the Buffalo Hemp Company and a member of the Virginia Cannabis Association, says the new amendments are going to alter the hemp businesses.

“They are drastically going to change the hemp industry in Virginia to the point where it will probably knock out about 70 to 80 percent of all products in hemp stores that you see in the market right now,” said Wall.

Wall says he doesn’t disagree with all of Youngkin’s regulations, but he believes it should have been tacked on with the ‘Adult Use’ bill, which would allow people over 21 to purchase cannabis products legally from a licensed dispensary.

NORML Development Director, JM Pedini, who also serves as the Executive Director of the state chapter, says further legislation is in the hands of Governor Youngkin.

“He needs to decide whether or not he wants policies in the commonwealth, to embolden illicit operators, or if he is ready to take marijuana off the street corner and put it behind an age-verifying counter,” said Pedini.

Amendments to the bill were approved last week during the one-day veto session.

To learn more about Virginia Medical Cannabis and legalization efforts, visit the Virginia NORML website here.