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Virginia lawmakers gave a big green light to manufacturers and retailers of lab-made THC products like Delta-8 this week.

Why it matters: Virginia has yet to agree on a path toward a legal recreational marijuana market, but the change will allow widespread sales of hemp-based products that produce the same intoxicating high.

State of play: The lab-made products — mostly edibles and vape cartridges — are already being sold in specialty shops and more adventurous convenience stores.

The latest: Language included in the state budget passed Wednesday eliminates ambiguity surrounding the products by implementing modest regulations and lab-testing requirements.

Context: Virginia lawmakers legalized possession of marijuana in 2021, but they are stuck in a stalemate over retail sales.

What they're saying: The hemp industry pitched the change as a way to help Virginia farmers, an argument some typically pot-averse GOP lawmakers found persuasive.

Yes, but: Some lawmakers worried that their fellow members of the General Assembly didn't realize they were essentially condoning the open sale of THC products without the strict licensing and oversight that has generally accompanied recreational marijuana markets in other states.

Be smart: By definition, hemp is a cannabis plant with extremely low levels of THC in it.

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