As the legislature sets to adjourn its 2022 legislative session at midnight tonight, cannabis policy reform has crossed the finish line!
On Friday, Gov. Hogan (R) announced that he would let HB 837, “Cannabis Reform,” become law without his signature. As you may recall, the legislature already passed HB 1 — which will refer the question of legalization to voters on the November ballot.
The question that HB 1 lays out to appear on the ballot is:
“Do you favor the legalization of the use of cannabis by an individual who is at least 21 years of age on or after July 1, 2023, in the State of Maryland?”
If voters approve HB 1 on the ballot, HB 837 will allow residents 21 and older to legally possess up to 1.5 ounces and cultivate up to two plants beginning July 1, 2023. The bill also includes limited expungement, funding for minority- and women-owned businesses, and a community reinvestment and repair fund.
You can check out our summary of the bill here.
Thank you to the lawmakers, advocates, and residents across the state who helped to achieve this big step to finally end cannabis prohibition in the Free State!
We look forward to continuing to work to bring equitable legalization to Marylanders.
In what is surely a sign that serious change is on the horizon for marijuana policy across the nation, the magazine for the National Conference of State Legislatures featured a