ANNAPOLIS — The debate about cannabis reform continues, as the second reading of a bill to create a market for legal cannabis sales in Maryland passes.
Republican lawmakers tried to file six amendments for changes they thought were needed…but each one failed yesterday.
Second reading of the cannabis reform bill passed with amendments. All 6 floor amendments were rejected.
— Jeff Morgan (@JeffMorganTV) March 8, 2023
HB0556 would tax and regulate pot. Marylanders can have up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana, and medical cannabis patients can grow up to four plants.
A big topic for lawmakers is taxes. There will be a 6% tax on cannabis which would increase by 1% each year until 2028.
This ensures the state benefits from the legislation. There would also be a five thousand dollar application fee for growers to obtain their license, which many believe is a fair price compared to other states.
"The $5000 application fee is low compared to some states the fact that you can get the license without actually having a location cause some states require that you have a location first and that's a huge hurdle to get a location not even knowing if you're going to get a license," said Gina Lee Thomas.
But others aren't satisfied with the bill as it's written, Kevin Ford Jr and the Uplift Action Fund are against police being the group to enforce the bill's rules.
"We want to ensure that our communities don't suffer from the same ptsd that we've seen from cannabis criminalization that we've seen for decades," said Ford.
Delegate C.T. Wilson, the bill's sponsor, also wants to ensure people aren't criminalized. He says his goal is to make sure young people can stop being arrested and dying because of this substance. The senate version of the bill will be heard Thursday afternoon.
Full legalization takes effect July first. For more information on the bill visit: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0556?ys=2023RS
