West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act

  1. April 19th, 2017 – Senate Bill 386 was signed into law (WV Legislature 2017)
  2. Oct 11th, 2017 – “Considerations for Issuing Grower, Processor or Dispensary Permits” and “Methods for Assessing Distribution of Serious Medical Conditions and Medical Cannabis Interest Among Physicians and Patients” (WV DHHR PowerPoint)
  3. By December 2017 – Emergency Rules established for the program and filed with the Secretary: (Legislative Rule WV Bureau for Public Health 64CSR109)
  4. Feb 2nd, 2018 – Jason Frame Selected to Lead West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis (WV DHHR Press Release)
  5. Feb 21st, 2018 – Medical Cannabis Advisory Board Report and Recommendations for the Governor and 2018 Legislature (WV DHHR PowerPoint)
  6. By First Quarter of 2018 – WV Bureau of Public Health proposed program would be accepting applications for grow & process businesses
  7. March 1st, 2018 – Correspondence from the Office of the State Treasurer to Governor announcing concerns with processing of funds relating to program and Federal Banking. (Letter from WV Treasurer to Governor)
  8. March 5th, 2018 – Bill passes the House of Delegates announcing changes to the program based on Medical Cannabis Advisory Board’s recommendations.
  9. March 8th, 2018 – Senate announces changes to program based on Medical Cannabis Advisory Board’s recommendations through House Bill 4345**:
  10. HB 4345 (Introduced 1/26/18) – WV Legislature 2018 Regular Session (WV Legislature 2018)
  11. March 11th, 2018 – Metro News update on program and Treasurer’s position.
  12. March 11th, 2018 – House Bill 4345 designed to improve program doesn’t pass in 2018.
  13. March 12th, 2018 – MJ Biz Daily national news updates.
  14. March 13th, 2018 – Medical Cannabis Advisory Board remains prepared and ready to act should banking issues be addressed.
  15. March 14th, 2018 – Banks express concerns about processing funds for program.
  16. March 15th, 2018 – Statement from Governor Announcing Support and Solutions for program (WV Governor’s Office Press Release).
  17. March 16th, 2018 – Governor is waiting for state treasurer’s office to come up with a solution.
  18. March 18th, 2018 – US attorney for WV’s Southern District address banking issues and Federal laws regarding program.
  19. March 29th, 2018 – Metro News update on Treasurer’s search for banking solutions.
  20. March 30th, 2018 – Treasurer searches for medical cannabis banking solutions (WV Treasurer’s Office Press Release).
  21. April 4, 2018 – WV State Supreme Court amended the professional conduct rules, allowing lawyers to provide full legal service to cannabis businesses in WV (Adoption of Proposed Amendment to Rule 1.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct 18-Rules-01).
  22. May 10th, 2018 – Correspondence from the Office of the State Treasurer to Governor about a solution for processing of funds relating to program (Letter from WV Treasurer to Governor).
  23. May 10th, 2018 – Treasurer proposes program banking options (WV Treasurer’s Office Press Release).
  24. May 10th, 2018 – Metro News Update on State Treasury Announcement of Banking Solutions.
  25. May 22nd, 2018 – WV House lacks signatures needed to call special legislative session.
  26. Sept 17th, 2018 – Legislature mulls banking fix for medical marijuana.
  27. Dec 16th, 2018 – WV may miss summer deadline for medical cannabis.
  28. Jan 4th, 2019 – Panel considers pros and cons and fixes for W.Va. medical cannabis program.
  29. Jan 6th, 2019 – Time to discuss recreational marijuana, delegate says.
  30. March 29, 2019 – Governor vetoes medical cannabis vertical integration bill, but fix may appear on special session call.
  31. April 21, 2019 – Armed with new law, medical cannabis program plans moving forward. 
  32. May 20, 2019 – Legislature passes updated cannabis integration bill.
  33. July 28, 2019 – WV’s medical marijuana program will likely not be up and running until 2021.
  34. August 1, 2019 – West Virginia Treasurer Receives 4 Rebids on Cannabis Banking Solution.
  35. August 26, 2019 – West Virginia picks Credit Union for Medical Cannabis Program.
  36. November 19, 2019 – Medical Cannabis Permit Applications to Open December 19.