Md.: 2021 session begins today; comprehensive legalization bill pre-filed

Reach out to your lawmakers today and ask them to support HB 32!

The General Assembly kicked off its 2021 legislative session today! This could be the year that Maryland ends cannabis prohibition and joins the 15 states and D.C that have legalized cannabis for adults.

Delegate Jazz Lewis (D) pre-filed a comprehensive legalization bill: HB 32 —“The Maryland Cannabis Legalization, Regulation—Inclusion, Restoration, and Rehabilitation Act of 2021.”

Now is a great time to let your lawmakers know that you want them to legalize cannabis in 2021!

HB 32 was carefully crafted with racial equity and reparative justice at the forefront. In addition to legalizing personal possession and cultivation of cannabis for adults and expunging past cannabis convictions, the bill provides robust provisions to ensure Black business ownership and participation in the legal industry and reinvest in communities hardest hit by the war on cannabis. You can check out our full summary of the legislation here.

By legalizing marijuana and establishing a regulated market for adults 21 and older, Maryland can further reduce the number of marijuana-related arrests being made, create a new source of revenue and jobs for the state, and begin to repair the decades of harm that cannabis prohibition has caused, particularly in communities of color.

Marylanders deserve a just, equitable cannabis policy. Please reach out to your lawmakers to support HB 32 today, share the action on social media, and encourage your family and friends in Maryland to do the same. Stay tuned for future updates.

Together, we can end prohibition in the Free State!