Ask your lawmakers to support HB 550. Although Maryland decriminalized simple possession of marijuana back in 2014, thousands of Marylanders continue to have their lives derailed by possession arrests. With your help, that could change this year: Delegate Nick Mosby (D) has proposed a bill to stop many of these arrests by increasing the decriminalized amount from 10 grams to one ounce. Email your lawmakers today and ask them to support HB 550!The bill — HB 550 — is scheduled for a House Judiciary…

Show support for HB 83 and other cannabis policy reform efforts in 2020 by joining us for our annual lobby day on Tuesday, February 4 (8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) in Annapolis! Register to join us here. A bill — HB 83 — has been introduced by Delegate David Moon (D) to provide for automatic expungement of marijuana possession convictions. The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for the bill on Tuesday, January 28 at 1:00 p.m. in Room 101 of the House Office Building — located at 6 Bladen…

Ask your lawmakers to support legislation to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and older. The General Assembly kicks off its 90-day 2020 legislative session today! To recap, the marijuana legalization workgroup met during the off-session and came to the consensus that they would not recommend legislation to legalize marijuana for adult use this session. However, the legislature could now be on track to seriously consider legalization in 2021. Keep up the pressure by emailing your legislators and…

We are now less than one week away from our lobby day event! The time is now to pressure the General Assembly to pass legislation to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and older. If you haven't already, be sure to register today, and join us in Annapolis. What: Maryland 2019 Cannabis Legalization Lobby DayWhen: Tuesday, February 5 (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)Where: House Building Room 170, Annapolis, MarylandRegister here. Prior to meeting with your elected officials, we will provide…

If you live in Maryland, contact your legislators today and encourage them to pass a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana in 2019! Today, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced that her office would no longer prosecute marijuana possession, regardless of the amount. In Baltimore City, arrests for marijuana possession — almost entirely and disproportionately African American Baltimoreans — have continued even post-decriminalization in 2014. It is time for the rest of the…

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, February 5 and register today! Maryland's 2019 legislative session is underway and discussion of legalizing adult-use cannabis has already begun. Please join the Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition's lobby day event to demonstrate that Marylanders want the General Assembly to pass legislation to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis for adults 21 and older this year. What: Maryland 2019 Cannabis Legalization Lobby DayWhen: Tuesday, February 5, 2019 (7:30 a.m. – 4:00…

Managing a medical marijuana operation could potentially cost each grower more than $125,000 a year in fees, a sum so exorbitant some officials believe it may affect small and newly developing marijuana businesses. According to The Baltimore Sun, Maryland’s medical marijuana commission has proposed for such a fee to be imposed on each of the 15 potential growers envisaged for the state’s new program. The commission has also proposed a yearly $40,000 charge for dispensaries. These steep license fees,…

Yesterday morning, Gov. Martin O’Malley signed into law both the medical marijuana bill and the decriminalization bill, making Maryland the 21st state with an effective medical marijuana program, and the 18th state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. The medical marijuana bill expands a program that, while established last year, was unable to get off the ground. The previous law relied on the participation of teaching hospitals, which understandably did not want to be involved…

On Saturday, the Maryland House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved an amended version of the decriminalization bill. In a 78-55 vote, the House approved imposing civil fines — not criminal penalties and possible jail time — on those possessing less than 10 grams of marijuana. The bill now goes back to the Senate for concurrence, before heading to Gov. Martin O’Malley. Gov. O’Malley has previously said he’s “not much in favor” of decriminalization. [caption id="attachment_7503" align="alignright"…

At a Maryland State Senate hearing to discuss decriminalizing marijuana Tuesday, a high-ranking law enforcement official betrayed his total ignorance about marijuana when he claimed that decriminalization would cause a slew of overdoses throughout the state. From the Capital Gazette: "The first day of legalization, that's when Colorado experienced 37 deaths that day from overdose on marijuana," [Annapolis Police Chief Michael] Pristoop said in testimony at Tuesday's Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee…