Maryland has a history with cannabis which dates back to the late 1610s. The Virginia Assembly inked legislation in 1619, which mandated every farmer to cultivate hemp and exchange the same as currency in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
The following passages will elaborate on the marijuana and CBD laws of Little America.
Marijuana in Maryland
Cannabis is categorized as a Schedule I controlled hallucinogenic substance in Maryland, and possessing a small amount is a civil offense carrying a $100 fine. The state penalty heats up if an intent to distribute or trafficking is established leading to 5 – 10 years of imprisonment.
Nonetheless, driven by the national pro-marijuana drive, Sen. Will Smith and Del. Eric Luedtke have introduced SB0771 and HB0656 in the earlier 2019 sessions to legalize and tax marijuana for adults. Moreover, General Assembly leaders, House Speaker Michael Busch, and Senate President Mike Miller have formed a workgroup to examine how to best implement marijuana legalization. The group will submit their findings by the end of 2019.
The ongoing wave of optimism in Little America is expected to earn $289 million in adult-use cannabis sales by the year 2022.
Medical Marijuana
The Maryland General Assembly legalized medical cannabis in 2014. However, after a slow rollout, few dispensaries opened in Maryland in late 2017. More critically, many bills that would have substantially damaged the program, including House Bill 1668, were crushed in the 2018 session. The qualified patients can procure medical marijuana for the following conditions in the Old Line State.
- Chronic Pain
- Nausea
- Cachexia
- Seizures
- Persistent muscle spasms
There are about 20,000 registered patients in Maryland, who contributed towards $79 million in 2018 medical sales. The state is set to earn $139 million by 2022.
CBD Oil Laws in Maryland
The 2016 HB 443 allowed the Department of Agriculture to authorize universities to cultivate industrial hemp for academic research. The bill also started a licensing program to enable hemp enthusiasts to plant, process, and trade hemp in the Free State. After that, the 2018 Maryland House Bill 698 created the Maryland Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program. Delegate Charles Otto, who sponsored the bill in the House stated that industrial hemp can become a viable alternative to corn and soybeans for Eastern Shore farmers. Otto believes the crop can thrive in this Mid-Atlantic state’s climate and soil.
Moreover, after the federal enactment of Farm Bill 2018, the program is further pacing its expansion and reach to the state residents. The Free State marijuana project enables farmers to collaborate with universities or the state to grow industrial hemp.
Conclusion
In Maryland, marijuana is a Schedule I controlled hallucinogenic substance and carrying a small amount is a civil offense. The state penalty becomes grave if an intent to distribute or smuggling is established leading to 5 – 10 years of jail time. However, efforts are in motion to legalize the crop by 2020 at the latest. Optimists are already predicting $289 million in sales by 2022. The medical side of weed was authorized in 2014. However, the rollout of dispensaries is slow.
There are about 20,000 registered patients in Maryland, who contributed towards $79 million in 2018 medical sales. Lastly, the 2018 Maryland House Bill 698 created the Maryland Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program.
