Cannabis

About our work

The LRC’s cannabis team was created at the start of 2024 and is funded by the Maryland Department of Health with money from the Cannabis Public Health Fund. Medical cannabis has been available in Maryland since 2017 and the State legalized adult-use cannabis in 2023. The cannabis team’s work focuses on helping state and local public health officials, agencies, and legislators; law enforcement; community organizations; and residents understand and address the public health issues associated with the broad availability of cannabis throughout Maryland. The cannabis team provides this support by engaging in community meetings, developing educational resources, hosting webinars, and providing legal technical assistance. The cannabis team works collaborative with the Maryland Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission, the Maryland Cannabis Administration, and the Maryland Department of Health, and provides guidance to the Maryland General Assembly.

LRC-Cannabis develops educational resources to help our public health partners engage with the important issues that accompany cannabis legalization.  These resources include legislative summaries, fact sheets, and webinars.

Maryland Cannabis Administration

  • Be Cannabis Smart:  https://cannabis.maryland.gov/Pages/BeCannabisSmart.aspx
    • MCA resource for safe and responsible cannabis use, including resources on smoke-free housing, drugged driving and boating, safe storage, and pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • Maryland Cannabis Laws: https://cannabis.maryland.gov/Pages/law.aspx
    • Repository of Maryland state cannabis laws.
  • Cannabis Use Baseline Study: https://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/Exec/MDH/NMLMCC/HG13-4401(b)_2022.pdf                                                                                                                                          
    • Baseline study of cannabis use in the state that includes a survey of patterns of use, perceptions, public health and safety, and cannabis-related healthcare utilization.
  • Maryland Cannabis Administration, Talking to Teens About Cannabis Use: A Youth Prevention Resource: talking-to-teens-brochure.pdf
    • This guide from the MCA provides tips for parents on how to talk with teenagers about cannabis use and how to make healthy and responsible choices.
  • Maryland Medical Cannabis Patient Survey: https://cannabis.maryland.gov/Documents/2024%20Reports/MMCPS-23-V5.pdf
    • Examines the similarities and differences in patient perceptions and behavior prior to and following legalization of adult use cannabis in Maryland. This report details the extent to which interest changed with expanded legalization, including patterns of use, perceptions of risk and benefit, and the occurrence of high-risk behaviors related to cannabis use.
  • Report on On-Site Consumption Establishments (2024):  Microsoft Word - On-Site Consumption DRAFT FOR REVIEW (state.md.us)
    • Completed by the MCA, the report includes a state survey of cannabis consumption site rules and regulations, an overview of different cannabis consumption site models, and a summary of changes to Maryland law needed to make cannabis consumption sites viable business models.
  • Guidelines for Medical Cannabis in School:  Guidelines for Public Schools Allowing the Administration of Medical Cannabis to Students (marylandpublicschools.org)
    • MCA and MSDE created guidelines for Maryland public schools regarding the administration of medical cannabis in schools.
  • MCA Incident Report Form:  https://mmcc.seamlessdocs.com/f/nh4jc1ng87ng
    • Allows an individual to report concerns about an adverse event related to a cannabis product or to report concerns about a cannabis product or business to the MCA.

Maryland Department of Health

Cannabis Health Effects Resources

Hemp Resources

Youth Education Resources

Disparate Enforcement of Cannabis Laws and Expungement Services

  • ACLU Report: https://www.aclu.org/publications/tale-two-countries-racially-targeted-arrests-era-marijuana-reform
    • This ACLU report examines cannabis arrests from 2010-2018 and examines racial disparities at the national, state, and county levels. This report shows that Black people are still more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than white people in every state, including those that legalized cannabis.
  • Maryland Legal Aid: https://www.mdlab.org/get-help-services/
    • Maryland Legal Aid provides a full range of free civil legal services to financially eligible individuals from 12 office locations. Maryland Legal Aid can help with expungement services for certain cannabis offenses.
  • Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service: https://mvlslaw.org/free-legal-help/
    • Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service provides free legal help for individuals and families with a limited income and are facing a civil legal issue in Maryland. Eligible applicants will be matched with a volunteer lawyer or tax professional who can help resolve their case.

As part of its mission to educate Maryland’s public health community and decision makers, the LRC-Cannabis provides expert testimony when changes are proposed to Maryland’s statutory and regulatory laws. Some of this advocacy takes the form of testimony submitted to committees in the Maryland Senate or House of Delegates regarding proposed legislation. For this legislative advocacy, the LRC-Cannabis will submit a Letter of Information, which provides context about the bill's likely effect, or Favorable or Opposition testimony, which explicitly encourage the legislators to take a particular approach. Our regulatory advocacy takes the form of formal comments submitted to the Maryland Cannabis Administration when it proposes changes to the Code of Maryland Regulations.  Provided below are examples of our recent advocacy work.