Marijuana Laws
As recorded December 15, 2025 · not verified as current law. Virginia law
Cannabis laws in Reston follow Virginia’s state law. Cannabis enforcement and penalties are governed by jurisdiction law, not city-specific rules in most cases.
Personal possession of small amounts and limited home cultivation are legal for adults 21 and older. Medical cannabis is available for qualifying patients. No retail sales are currently authorized, and cannabis remains illegal under U.S. federal law.
Quick facts
- Recreational: Legal (possession)
- Medical: Legal
- Possession: Legal up to 1 oz
- Buying/Selling: No retail sales
- Tourists: Same possession rules apply
Practical guidance
Avoid cross-border transport of cannabis products. Do not assume informal tolerance equals legality.
Law Enforcement
Friends told of Fairfax County officers taking money and drugs and leaving without filing charges. Some people felt lucky to walk away, even as they questioned what the officers had done. Virginia has since legalized limited adult possession and home cultivation, as covered in Marijuana Laws.
Where to Buy Marijuana
Walking up to strangers in Reston was hard. People smoked, but robberies and a tough reputation for Fairfax County police made everybody wary. People sometimes asked outright whether you were a cop. Once a friendship and a connection were established, supply was more regular.
Marijuana Prices
Kind bud went by KB, Kibbles ’n Bits, Kobe Bryant, dank or icky sticky. The lower the supply and the longer the chain of people taking a cut, the higher the price.
- US$20 for 1 g, US$30–35 for 2 g, US$50 per ⅛ oz, US$90–100 per ¼ oz or US$150–200 per ½ oz.
- US$250–300 per oz or US$500–550 for 2 oz.
- US$900–1,100 per ¼ lb, US$1,500–2,000 per ½ lb (often around US$1,800), or US$2,900–3,800 per lb (often US$3,400–3,600).
- For 3 lb, US$10,000 was the suggested upper figure at the time. Over 10 lb was a separate negotiation, with lower per-pound prices expected.
The account describes a knife-point robbery over a quarter-pound deal. Scales could be found at some gas stations, though they cost more there, and larger bags were typically vacuum-sealed by the half pound. Some buyers didn’t see them weighed until the deal was over. For multi-pound deals, there were stories of Fairfax narcotics officers in unmarked American minivans and Ford Explorers, and worries about the DEA. The typical buyer wasn’t expected to go up to even a quarter pound.
Types of Marijuana
Hydro KB was the standard, with hollow stems seen as a clue to how it was grown. AK-47, or ‘fire,’ had bright orange hairs and usually cost about the same or a bit more. Sour Diesel said to come down from New York was pungent and covered in golden crystals, at about twice the price. Mids were cheaper. Green T was grassy and wet with a smooth high, but wasn’t a favorite. Headies came from the tops of the plants and were prized for their crystals. Sellers sometimes made up whatever name would fetch a higher price.