Virginia is moving steadily toward approving adult-use marijuana, with a regulated market expected to begin in 2026. This will include dispensaries and privately operated retail stores authorized by the Cannabis Control Authority. While many Virginians support a regulated cannabis market — and I count myself among those who believe regulation is better than chaos — we must confront an uncomfortable truth: Legalization, without strong safeguards, will place our children in jeopardy. 

I recently attended a meeting of the General Assembly committee responsible for drafting the resolutions that will shape Virginia’s adult-use marijuana law. During that meeting, several advocates from Virginians for Safer Cannabis, speaking in support of the legalization of adult-use cannabis and the inclusion of minority business partners in all components of the cultivation, distribution and retail markets, expressed serious concerns about what happens after marijuana is legally purchased by adults and brought into homes where children live. Those concerns are real, urgent and cannot be ignored. 

Public schools operate under very strict policies regarding drugs on campus. A student who brings marijuana to school — even if it was legally purchased by an adult family member — can face severe consequences. Possession can be treated as intent to distribute. Suspension, expulsion and involvement with the juvenile justice system are very real possibilities. These penalties do not disappear simply because marijuana becomes legal for adults. 

The risk is clear: Once marijuana is legally available for sale across Virginia, young people will have more opportunities than ever to access it. Not because they are purchasing it legally, but because it is present in their homes. From elementary school through high school, students will be exposed to marijuana in ways we have not adequately planned for. College campuses will face similar challenges, where students under the age of 21 will inevitably be exposed to cannabis possessed by students who are legally allowed to buy it. 

We have been here before. 

Virginia allowed vape shops to proliferate without fully understanding how easily those products could put THC into the hands of students. By the time we grasped the consequences, schools were already facing a crisis. We cannot afford to repeat that mistake with cannabis. The stakes are simply too high. 

Let me be clear: A regulated cannabis market is better than an unregulated one. Regulation brings oversight, accountability and public health protections. We are not opposed to legalization itself. What we are calling for is responsibility — shared responsibility among parents, educators, school boards and lawmakers. 

School boards must begin addressing how adult-use marijuana will impact students. They must communicate with the state Board of Education, which in turn must engage directly with legislators crafting this policy. Parents must be educated on their legal and moral responsibilities to keep marijuana securely stored and out of the reach of young people. This is not optional — it is essential. 

Without communitywide education and thoughtful safeguards, students will be punished for mistakes that begin with adult carelessness. A young person caught with marijuana at school could carry the burden of a criminal record or expulsion — not because they had access to a dispensary, but because someone at home failed to protect them from adult-only substances. 

As Virginia moves closer to legal adult use of marijuana, we must do so with our eyes open. Protecting children must be part of the legalization framework, not an afterthought. This moment demands action, coordination and education — before harm is done. 

Everybody must be involved — parents, school boards, educators, state agencies and legislators. If we do this right, we can create a regulated cannabis system that serves adults without sacrificing the futures of our young people. 

If we don’t get it right, our children will pay the price. 

The writer is the president of the Richmond chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and a former school administrator.