• Take Action: Urge your state legislators to support a compassionate medical cannabis program!
Select a State  
Donate
Menu
Donate

Archive

  • Archive
Medical Marijuana

Two Marijuana Policy Reform Bills Pass in Maryland

Apr 10, 2012

affirmative defense, caregivers, legislation, Maryland, medical, O'Malley, SB 350, SB 422

The clock ran out on Maryland legislators last night. A bill to give medical marijuana caregivers an affirmative defense against charges of possession was collateral damage as legislators spent the evening trying and failing to reach a budget compromise. It wasn’t a total loss though — two good bills did pass. Here’s MPP’s summary of marijuana policy reform developments in the 2012 session of Maryland’s General Assembly.

The two bills that passed are SB 422 and SB 350. The former requires charging certain minor offenses, including marijuana possession, by citation, meaning marijuana users can be arrested (though it’s not required) but won’t be spending the night or the weekend in jail. The latter reduces the maximum penalty for possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana from one year in jail to 90 days and the maximum fine from $1,000 to $500. Here again is the full summary.

 It is unfortunate that Gov. O'Malley essentially put a stop to the original medical marijuana bill we were working toward this year, which would have  protected patients and caregivers from arrest and established a system to ensure safe access. Still, this is certainly a step in the right direction, and it is only a matter of time before we pass a truly effective medical marijuana bill in Maryland.

Read more

Medical Marijuana||Video

MPP Joins Maryland Patients to Testify in Support of Medical Marijuana

Mar 30, 2012

Dan Morhaim, Dan Riffle, Karen O'Keefe, Maryland, medical, O'Malley, patients, veto, video, WHAG

Last week, a number of medical marijuana patients and supporters, including MPP’s Dan Riffle, were at the Maryland statehouse to testify on the need to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest.

Here is some TV coverage of the hearing:

The bill, sponsored by Sen. David Brinkley, is based on one of two draft bills proposed by members of Maryland’s medical marijuana workgroup. Only one version, the one suggested by Del. Dan Morhaim and MPP’s director of state policies Karen O’Keefe, would provide patients with safe and reliable access to their medicine.

Unfortunately, Gov. O’Malley has promised to veto the bill in its current form due to concerns of possible federal prosecution of state employees. To date, no state official has been charged with a crime for following medical marijuana laws. The bill is now being amended in an attempt to ease these unjustified concerns.

Read more