Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) vetoed legislation that would have established a legal marijuana market in Virginia after it was passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature.

Marijuana has been legal in Virginia since 2021, but the state has yet to establish a legal commercial market after the initial law. Youngkin blasted the proposal as a danger to the health and safety of the state in a lengthy veto statement on Thursday.

“The proposed legalization of retail marijuana in the Commonwealth endangers Virginians’ health and safety,” Youngkin said. “States following this path have seen adverse effects on children’s and adolescent’s health and safety, increased gang activity and violent crime, significant deterioration in mental health, decreased road safety, and significant costs associated with retail marijuana that far exceed tax revenue.”

He also argued that the bill failed to address concerns about the illegal marijuana market and said the Old Dominion should not follow “the failed paths of other states.”

“It also does not eliminate the illegal black-market sale of cannabis, nor guarantee product safety. Addressing the inconsistencies in enforcement and regulation in Virginia’s current laws does not justify expanding access to cannabis, following the failed paths of other states and endangering Virginians’ health and safety,” he added.

Democrats had been hopeful they would get legislation establishing a marijuana market signed into law as part of negotiations with Youngkin for a $2 billion arena in Alexandria for the Washington Wizards and Capitals.

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Once efforts for the arena deal stalled in the legislature, and the city of Alexandria announced the deal was dead, odds of Democrats getting some of their most contentious pieces of legislation approved faded.

Earlier this week, Youngkin vetoed a bevy of gun bills pushed by Democrats, arguing some of them violated the 2nd Amendment.