Cannabis stores in Southwest Virginia operate as private clubs and sell or give products to members

Some Cannabis stores in SWVA have rebrandedPhoto byJosiah WeissonUnsplash

SWVA stores rebrand as private clubs

According to Cardinal News reports, membership has its privileges. Across Southwest Virginia, in the aftermath of police raids, cannabis stores are rebranding.

Some locations in Bristol, Abingdon, Marion, Wytheville, Radford, and Blacksburg are now billing themselves as private clubs selling their products to those who belong or give them as gifts.

Unregulated cannabis products may have unsafe ingredients

In April 2023, Virginia Attorney General Jason Myares said that neither an establishment’s status as a private club nor the source of its marijuana is material to whether it or the customers are distributing marijuana unlawfully.

Myares emphasized that the products are unregulated, and customers don't know their ingredients. In Roanoke County, a man said he purchased gardening sheers and was given marijuana that tested as having unsafe ingredients.