Maryland Cannabis News

Maryland officials announced they will hold a lottery for social equity cannabis licenses this week despite multiple lawsuits targeting the equity provision, including one that claims technical difficulties blocked entry.

A Maryland-based cannabis grower is suing Smithfield police for allegedly lying about the legality of his operation and destroying seized cannabis that could have demonstrated its lawfulness, amidst claims of justice mishandling and evidence suppression.

The police chief for Montgomery County, Maryland said a state rule that bans police recruits from having used cannabis for at least three years before applying is bad for the state’s law enforcement recruitment opportunities.

The Maryland Supreme Court has declined to review a lower court’s injunction against the enforcement of a state law banning intoxicating hemp products. Under this development, the injunction will remain in place and retailers can continue to sell products containing delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC.

The first round of Maryland’s adult-use cannabis licensing process is open; state law requires the first round of licenses to be set aside for social equity applicants.

A judge in Maryland on Thursday imposed a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of a state law that aims to prohibit the sale of intoxicating hemp products.

Maryland officials have released the state’s social equity applicant criteria, including an interactive map to define what qualifies as Disproportionately Impacted Areas.

The town of Hancock, Maryland is headed to mediation with multi-state cannabis company Trulieve over profits from its 5% equity stake in the company, which was previously arranged in exchange for a medical cannabis license.

Maryland dispensaries sold nearly $85 million worth of cannabis products in July, which was the state’s first month of legal adult-use sales.

The Maryland Hemp Coalition and others filed a lawsuit this week claiming that the state’s adult-use cannabis regulations are discriminatory and being monopolized against hemp companies.

During the first week of sales after the July 1 launch of Maryland’s adult-use cannabis market, dispensaries in the state sold nearly $21 million worth of product.

Adult-use cannabis sales took effect in Maryland over the weekend on July 1, about eight months after voters passed the state’s cannabis legalization initiative.

Maryland medical cannabis regulators temporarily shut down a Cookies dispensary license, citing multiple violations including a video advertisement that “appeared to show large plumes of medical cannabis smoke being blown from a large gun apparatus into the mouths of persons outside the dispensary.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed a bill on Wednesday to implement the state’s adult-use cannabis legalization policy.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) has created a blind trust for his assets, which includes about $1.2 million — about 46% of the governor’s assets — in cannabis company stocks.

Maryland lawmakers passed a bill this week to prohibit police officers from conducting vehicle searches based solely on the presence of cannabis odor.