Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) was a year of meaningful change, growth, and accomplishment for the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA or Authority). Our work this year reflected the best of who we are as public servants: we were committed to our mission, guided by our values, and focused on building a safer and healthier Virginia.

This year brought important transitions as the Authority welcomed new leadership and completed an organizational restructuring designed to better serve stakeholders and prepare for future growth. These changes strengthen our ability to carry out our mission with greater efficiency and impact.

FY25 was the first full fiscal year the medical cannabis program (MCP) operated under the CCA’s oversight. It was a year of steady progress: nearly 115,000 patients purchased medical cannabis across the Commonwealth. The CCA continued its work to expand patient access across all regions of the Commonwealth, making progress toward ensuring patients in Health Service Area (HSA) 1 have direct access to medical cannabis. This effort reached a key milestone in FY25 with the conditional approval of a pharmaceutical processor in HSA 1. We also made one of our most significant program improvements to date when we launched a seed-to-sale tracking system at the end of the fiscal year. This system provides real-time insight into medical cannabis activity statewide, allowing us to confirm that only tested, regulated products reach patients. It also strengthens our ability to protect public safety and will serve as a vital tool for the agency as it continues to grow.

We also listened more closely to the people we serve. Surveys of patients and practitioners helped us better understand their experiences, identify barriers to access, and guide future improvements. We met with stakeholders across the Commonwealth to gather feedback and help inform regulations. By keeping open lines of communication with those we serve, we can continue to make thoughtful, data-informed decisions that reflect real needs.

Education and outreach remained central to our work. FY25 marked the completion of the CCA’s first comprehensive safe driving campaign, which included television, radio, and digital advertising. We conducted our second statewide impaired driving survey, which provided valuable insight into Virginians’ attitudes and behaviors around cannabis use and driving. These findings are already shaping our next campaign, set to launch in FY26.

Beyond campaign efforts, the CCA expanded community engagement through presentations, conferences, and educational resource distribution, sharing six times more materials than the previous year.

Each of these accomplishments reflects the CCA’s vision: to use our cannabis expertise and regulatory authority to make Virginians safer and healthier. Our values of service, integrity, collaboration, and tenacity have guided every step of our work this year. Together, these efforts have strengthened relationships with stakeholders, deepened trust with the public, and laid strong building blocks for the future of the agency.

We are proud of what we achieved in FY25 and excited for what lies ahead. With a dedicated team, engaged partners, and a clear mission, the CCA is well positioned to continue serving Virginians with excellence in the years to come.

/s/ John F. Keohane
Virginia CCA Chair