Virginia picks Metrc for medical cannabis seed-to-sale tracking

Metrc will run the new seed-to-sale tracking program for Virginia’s medical cannabis market.

The system, to launch in early summer 2025, will be required for all licensed MMJ processors, Virginia’s Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) announced Wednesday.

The Metrc system will track cannabis from its growth cycle to production and sale, increasing consumer protection, enforcement and transparency, according to a CCA news release.

By using Metrc, the agency said it will be able to quickly manage product recalls, help prevent cannabis from being diverted outside the regulated system and block untested, illicit marijuana from entering the market.

Jeremy Preiss, acting head and chief officer of regulatory, policy and external affairs for the CCA, noted that Metrc has proved effective in implementing seed-to-sale solutions in other states.

“The new seed-to-sale system will enhance our ability to regulate the medical cannabis market and protect consumers,” Preiss said.

“This system will enhance the security and safety of the commonwealth’s medical cannabis program.”

The real-time data gathered from the system will provide insights into Virginia’s medical cannabis market and consumption trends as well as inform regulatory decisions and public health education, the agency said.

Virginia was on track to launch adult-use marijuana sales this year, but politics derailed the program, so the state remains an MMJ-only market.