08/11/2026
💔 “If you agree she has a legitimate medical condition… what are you going to do?”
This is the part of Virginia's h**p debate that cannot be reduced to numbers, percentages, or politics.
These are real families.
At today's Virginia H**p Press Conference, Virginia mother and advocate Lisa Smith shared the deeply personal story of her daughter, who she says has experienced thousands of seizures throughout her life.
For Lisa, the changes scheduled to take effect August 15 aren't an abstract policy debate.
They're about access.
She described being told that families like hers could simply go to a dispensary—while saying the specific product her daughter relies on isn't available there.
And she asked a question that deserves an answer.
Lawmakers have said these changes weren't intended to hurt Virginians with legitimate medical needs.
So what happens when those Virginians stand in front of you and tell you that they ARE being affected?
What is the alternative?
Where are they supposed to go?
And what happens on August 15?
This is why today's press conference mattered.
It's why seven Virginia h**p businesses are challenging these restrictions in federal court.
And it's why this fight has never been only about businesses or products sitting on store shelves.
It's about people.
It's about families asking to be heard before access to something they rely upon changes.
🎥 Please listen to Lisa's story.
Whatever your opinion on h**p may be, families affected by these decisions deserve to have their voices heard.
⚖️ August 12 — Federal Court hearing in Roanoke
🌿 August 15 — New Virginia h**p restrictions scheduled to take effect
This is who we're fighting for.
**p **p **pCo **pAccess
