Citizens who attended Monday night’s forum featuring candidates for the 98th district House of Delegates seat in the Virginia General Assembly asked a variety of questions ranging from the legalization of marijuana to funding for education to preserving the Chesapeake Bay.

The sparsely-attended forum, which was held at T.C. Walker Elementary School in Gloucester, was co-sponsored by the Middle Peninsula League of Voters and the Gloucester Chamber of Commerce.

Republican Keith Hodges and Democrat Andrew Shoukas, shared similar ideas when it came to legalizing marijuana. Shoukas said, "I don’t agree with legalizing any amount of marijuana."

Hodges, a pharmacist, said he sees people every day come into the pharmacy who abuse drugs. "A lot of it starts with marijuana and leads to other things," Hodges said.

Del. Harvey B. Morgan (R-Middlesex), who currently holds the seat, has introduced legislation in past General Assembly sessions to loosen restrictions on medical marijuana and reduce marijuana-related penalties. When the two candidates were asked directly if they would pursue that same bill, both said "no."

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