Simple Possession Of Marijuana Will No Longer Be A Criminal Offense In Virginia Starting In July. Governor Ralph Northam Signed The Measure Into Law Which Means De-Criminalizing Marijuana Possession. Northam Also Said He Wants To Clear The Records Of People Who Have Gotten Into Trouble For It. The New Law Reduces The Penalty Of Simple Possession To A Civil Penalty Of No More Than 25 Dollars. This Doesn’t Mean The General Assembly Has Legalized Marijuana. It Is Still Illegal. The New Law Goes Into Effective July 1st.