Maryland Races Toward Legal Weed Market To Nip Illicit Sales In The Bud, Unlike NY & California

Maryland’s medical cannabis industry will be rolled into an expanded recreational marijuana market under a new proposal that’s heading to the state’s General Assembly.

The 120-page bill has not yet been made public though House Delegate C.T. Wilson said the proposal would allow for the state to begin selling cannabis to recreational users, possibly as soon as July 1, reported the Daily Record. 

Maryland overwhelmingly approved cannabis legalization in the November midterms.

Lawmakers say they are keen to set up the new industry as quickly as possible so as to avoid the issues facing New York and California.

“New York is suffering from the fact that they didn’t give out any licenses but they legalized it,” said Wilson, who is also chair of the House Economic Matters Committee.

“So all the bodegas and people are just selling it. Some people may think that’s fine. I personally don’t think any consumable product should go without being tested for public safety.”

Wilson hit that nail on the head as NY battles an illicit weed market while its legal market remains trapped in a bureaucratic mess of its own making.

“My goal is to make sure that we are not only competitive with the black market but that we are cheaper than the black market. What many states did to their detriment is create a stronger black market because (cannabis) is priced so high,” said Wilson.

“We may not make money on this the first year, if we do it right, because I want to make sure, again, we’re not trying to get Marylanders high. We’re trying to make sure this is out of the black market.”

House and Senate versions of the bill could be introduced in their respective chambers as soon as Friday.

Wilson told the Legislative Black Caucus Thursday that the proposal creates a hybrid license structure that would allow existing medical cannabis growers, processors and dispensaries to also sell to recreational users. Wilson said existing licensees who decide to participate in the expanded market “will pay a hefty fee to do so.”

The bill, as it will be introduced, will exempt minority licensees from fees to convert to a hybrid medical-recreational grower or processor license. Wilson added that he would ultimately like to see 10 growing licenses “set aside” for Black owners.

Image credits for Maryland House C.T. Wilson: Grandbrothers and Victor Moussa on Shutterstock and Marylandstater on Wikimedia Commons