Establish a regulated adult-use cannabis market for adults 21 and older, with clear rules for possession, purchase, production, and sale.

A regulated system should include age verification, product testing, labeling requirements, responsible retail practices, and meaningful penalties for sales to minors.

Create a reasonable excise tax on adult-use cannabis sales that generates public revenue without making legal products unnecessarily expensive or encouraging consumers to return to unregulated markets.

West Virginia should also evaluate the existing medical cannabis tax structure, including a business-level excise tax that does not unnecessarily increase costs for registered patients.

Tax rates and revenue allocations should be transparent, sustainable, and evaluated against the actual costs of administering the program.

Allow adults to cultivate a reasonable number of cannabis plants for personal use, subject to safeguards such as:

• Limits on the number of plants per household.

• Secure cultivation that is not accessible to minors.

• No unauthorized commercial sales.

• Reasonable protections for landlords and local property rules.

Personal cultivation should be a lawful option, not a substitute for a regulated commercial market.

West Virginia's existing medical cannabis businesses have invested capital, created jobs, built facilities, and developed experience operating under state regulations.

Any transition to a broader market should recognize those investments while establishing a fair, transparent process for future participation.

The framework should consider:

• Clear transition rules for existing licensees.

• Consistent licensing and compliance standards.

• Transparent ownership and financial requirements.

• A competitive market that allows new businesses to participate.

• Strong product testing, security, and consumer protections.

Review prior cannabis convictions and establish a process for dismissing or expunging qualifying offenses that would no longer be illegal under reformed state law.

People should not continue to face unnecessary barriers to employment, housing, and other opportunities for conduct that the state has chosen to treat differently.

Eligibility, exceptions, and procedures should be clearly defined.

Give counties and municipalities a meaningful role in determining how commercial cannabis businesses operate in their communities, while avoiding unnecessary barriers that prevent responsible businesses from locating and investing in West Virginia.

A modern framework should establish clear statewide standards and allow reasonable local control over zoning, land use, and business locations.

Cannabis tax revenue should serve a clearly defined public purpose.

Potential areas for allocation include:

• Substance-use prevention, treatment, and recovery.

• Public health and education.

• Local government and community investment.

• Program oversight and regulatory enforcement.

• Other priorities identified through public and legislative review.

Revenue projections should be realistic, and allocations should be transparent and publicly reported.

Review restrictions on cannabis products and methods of consumption to determine whether they continue to serve a legitimate safety or public-health purpose.

A modern medical and adult-use framework should consider a broader range of tested, properly labeled products and formats, while maintaining appropriate limits on potency, packaging, and access.

Patients should have access to options that meet their needs without unnecessary restrictions or costs.