WASHINGTON, February 28. /TASS/. The Virginia lawmakers approved adult-use marijuana legalization on Saturday, the Politico newspaper reported.

The House passed the measure in a 48-43 vote, and the Senate approved it in a 20-19 vote. Not a single Republican voted for the bill in either chamber, the newspaper said.

The bill was successfully passed due to the fact that Democrats currently control both chambers of the legislature.

The vote came after a conference committee struck a deal on Saturday to reconcile different versions of the bill that passed in both chambers earlier this month, Politico reported.

Now the document will go to Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, who earlier made it clear that he intends to sign it.

Under this initiative, it will be possible to legally own marijuana from January 2024. So far, possession of marijuana is subject to an administrative fine of no more than $25. The legal sale of cannabis may begin in 2024. Home cultivation will also be allowed. From July of this year, the state authorities will already begin to form a special department, which will deal with the regulation of marijuana trafficking.

Currently, at the federal level, United States laws do not allow possession and smoking of marijuana, which is classified as a drug. At the same time, its use for recreational purposes was allowed in several states. More than 30 other states allow sales of marijuana for medical purposes. In most cases, the use of cannabis is allowed for people suffering from cancer, glaucoma and a number of other diseases, as well as in the recovery process after a stroke, a number of injuries and depression.