News & Events

Richmond – The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) has voted to award AYR Virginia a conditional approval to serve as the pharmaceutical processor for Virginia’s Health Service Area (HSA) 1. 

HSA 1, which includes cities and counties such as the Shenandoah Valley, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford, has lacked a pharmaceutical processor for several years due to litigation. This has created a gap in access to medical cannabis products for patients in need.

“Establishing a medical cannabis operator in HSA 1 is overdue,” said John Keohane, Chairman of the CCA Board. “Patients in this area have waited far too long to have access to the medical cannabis products they need. AYR Virginia’s entry into the market will make a significant difference in their lives.”

AYR Virginia is a wholly owned subsidiary of AYR Wellness, Inc., a nationally-recognized licensed operator in eight states. It proposes opening a medical cannabis facility in Clear Brook, Virginia, north of Winchester. AYR Virginia’s conditional approval is contingent on successfully completing required background checks. AYR Virginia will have one year to meet all requirements necessary to obtain a full pharmaceutical processor permit. This permit will enable AYR Virginia to engage in vertically integrated operations, including the cultivation of cannabis plants, production of cannabis products, and sales to qualified medical cannabis patients.

As an independent, apolitical subdivision, the Cannabis Control Authority promotes public safety, advances public health, and protects communities in the Commonwealth through effective medical cannabis oversight and balanced and inclusive cannabis regulation, policy, and education.

“We look forward to AYR Virginia’s timely implementation of the permit, including meeting the high standards set by the CCA and providing exceptional service to the patients in HSA 1,” Keohane added.

To learn more about Virginia’s medical cannabis program and stay updated on developments, visit cca.virginia.gov/medicalcannabis.

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