claim: virginia governor terry mcauliffe legalized recreational and medicinal marijuana across the state as of 1 november 2017.
question: did virginia’s governor legalize marijuana?
origin: in october 2017, what appears to be a legitimate news article appeared on facebook, claiming that virginia governor terry mcauliffe legalized recreational and medicinal marijuana in the state of virginia:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  an error-laden article automatically displayed the date on which it was opened, misleading readers into thinking it represented a brand-new development:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  govenor terry mcauliffe passed a law legalizing the use of recreational and medicinal marijuana for the state of virginia
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  as of november, first 2017 marijuana will be legal
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  overall support for legalize marijuana has hit 64 30 states in the district of columbia currently have laws broadly legalizing marijuana
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  i knew gallup poll released earlier this month shows that a record high percentage of americans now support legalizing marijuana
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  for the first time immaturity of republicans are in favor of legalizing marijuana as well
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  update coming soon
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  the claim is completely false, originating with prank-generating fake news site react365. although the ostensible purpose of the site is to allow people to “prank” one another with phony articles, overly broad general interest topics such as statewide marijuana legalization often rapidly spreads outside its creator’s circle of facebook followers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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comment: a prank news article led to widespread rumors that governor terry mcauliffe had passed a law legalizing marijuana across virginia.
summary: in october 2017, what appears to be a legitimate news article appeared on facebook, claiming that virginia governor terry mcauliffe legalized recreational and medicinal marijuana. the claim is completely false, originating with fake news site react365. although the ostensible purpose of the site is to allow people to “prank” one another with phony articles, overly broad general interest topics such as statewide marijuana legalization often rapidly spreads outside its creator’s circle of facebook followers.