STEVENSBURG — Members of a non-profit state organization are trying to weed out legislation that criminalizes the possession of marijuana in Virginia.

According to the group’s mission statement, it wants to “represent Virginia’s cannabis community at the General Assembly and throughout the state, and to promote a regulated cannabis market by legalizing the responsible use, cultivation and distribution of cannabis products.”

Established in 1970 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, recently started a Culpeper Chapter in August.

About 25 people filled Lenn Park's enclosed pavilion located between a packed playground of children and softball field on Sunday afternoon for the group’s kickoff meeting in Culpeper.

According to its Facebook page, Virginia NORML strives to educate the community about cannabis by persuading public opinion so that “responsible use by adults will no longer be subject to criminal prosecution and penalties.”

Culpeper...