A handful of bills that would legalize the possession, use and sale of small amounts of marijuana are moving through the Maryland General Assembly, as Democratic lawmakers push to make this state the latest to allow recreational use of the drug.
One measure would allow adults aged 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, said state Sen. Richard Madaleno, one of the bill’s senate sponsors. This bill also creates a “regulatory framework” that would allow licensed sellers to sell up to one ounce of marijuana and limited amounts of cannabis-infused products, such as edible items and lotions, Madaleno said. Del. Curt Anderson, a Democrat from Baltimore, has sponsored a version of the proposal in the House of Delegates.
The General Assembly voted to decriminalize marijuana use in 2014, making possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana a civil offense punishable only by a fine of up to $100 for a first offense. A Goucher College poll released Monday found that 58 percent of Marylanders support legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
Madaleno said drug prohibition has led to a number of “maybe unintended, but quite negative consequences” for the state. Marijuana violations have entangled “too many young people” in the criminal justice system, and prosecution for marijuana possession disproportionately affects black communities despite nearly identical usage rates among races, Madaleno said.
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