Maryland marijuana laws

Is marijuana legal in Maryland?

Recreational cannabis is legal in the state of Maryland.

The Old Line state voted in adult-use cannabis on November 8, 2022, by approving Question 4.

Beginning July 1, 2023, every adult 21 or older will be able to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis. Possession of 1.5 ounces to 2.5 ounces would be subject only to a fine, and not considered a criminal offense.

Before that, starting January 1, 2023, Maryland will consider the possession of up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis a civil offense.

Adult-use sales are expected to begin July 1 at medical cannabis dispensaries. Delivery will initially be limited to medical patients. Here is a dispensary map for Maryland. Here are your Maryland medical cannabis delivery options.

Expungement

HB 837 provides automatic expungement for individuals charged solely with possession of cannabis. The bill requires the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to expunge those records by July 2024.

Individuals previously charged with intent to distribute can also petition for expungement, after serving three years of their sentence.

Maryland medical marijuana laws

Maryland’s medical marijuana program became fully operational in 2017 with the opening of its first dispensaries.

By law, qualified medical patients may possess a 30-day supply of up to 120 grams for personal medical use (primarily dried flower), or up to 36 grams of THC, according to the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC). Home cultivation is not permitted.

The Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) oversees all licensing, registration, inspection, and testing measures related to Maryland’s medical cannabis program. The MMCC is also responsible for guiding patients, caregivers, providers, growers, dispensers, processors, testing laboratories, and caregivers.

Medical marijuana laws background

Protection for patients using medical cannabis in Maryland was first established in 2003 with HB 702, or the Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act. The Act created an affirmative defense for cannabis use among patients with less than one ounce in their possession, carrying a maximum fine of $100.

In 2011, Maryland passed SB 308, which recognized cannabis use for specific medical conditions but still subjected users to a $100 fine. In 2013, HB 180 expanded this protection to include caregivers of medical marijuana patients. HB 1101, which also passed in 2013, enabled academic medical centers to carry out medical cannabis research. The Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana Commission was consequently created to develop regulations regarding cannabis use, research, and cultivation in Maryland.

The Maryland legislature approved HB881 in 2014. The bill legalized a comprehensive medical cannabis program that offered legal protection for patients, caregivers, and physicians and set up a distribution system. Registered medical cannabis patients and their designated caregivers became permitted to obtain a 30-day supply of cannabis, although personal cultivation remained prohibited. 

The bill was revised by HB 490 (2015). Its revisions included a requirement that patients enroll in an academic research program in order to qualify, and it shielded individuals convicted of non-violent misdemeanors from specific criminal records requests. These regulations were enforced on September 14th, 2015. 

In 2016, HB 104 was passed, empowering dentists, podiatrists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners to issue written certifications on behalf of qualifying patients. 

How to get a medical marijuana card in Maryland

A Maryland resident is eligible to register with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) if a certified provider has recommended medical cannabis to treat their condition.

Maryland qualifying conditions for medical marijuana

To be registered as a medical marijuana patient in Maryland, patients must have an ailment that meets the state’s list of qualifying criteria. 

A patient may qualify if they are living with a chronic or debilitating disease or condition that causes:

• Cachexia
• Anorexia
• Wasting syndrome
• Severe or chronic pain
• Severe nausea
• Seizures
• Acute or persistent muscle spasms
• Glaucoma
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• A chronic or severe medical condition for which other treatments have been ineffective

Steps for obtaining an MMJ card in Maryland

1. ​In-person visit with a certified provider

During this visit, the provider will review the patient’s relevant medical records, complete an in-person assessment, create medically standardized records, and commit to monitor the patient’s journey with medical cannabis.​ 

If the patient meets the provider’s criteria for treatment with medical cannabis, the provider will issue a certification.

2. The patient registers online

An application can be lodged by visiting the MMCC Registry website​ and clicking Create Account under the “Patients” tab. After the online application form has been completed and submitted, the applicant must click on the verification link sent to their email address. The application is not complete and will not be reviewed by the Commission unless verification is performed.

Online registration requires:

• A valid, accessible email account
• The last four digits of your Social Security Number
• An electronic copy of a valid government-issued photo ID 
• Proof of Maryland residency
• An electronic copy of a clear, recent photograph

These documents must be dated within the past 90 days. Accepted ID forms include a driver’s license, a state-issued photo ID card, military ID, or a US passport. If the ID does not identify your current address, the patient must also provide two approved documents as proof of residence. 

3. The MMCC reviews completed applications

The applicant will receive a follow-up email notifying whether or not the application has been approved. The MMCC has a high volume of applications, and they recommend calling or emailing only if more than 45 days have passed since the submission of the initial application. 

4. Obtain certification

Once approved, the patient can visit a provider registered with MMCC to obtain a valid certification. A patient may only order an ID card after their patient application has been approved, and they have received certification from a registered provider. 

Following approval, patients can also log into the Patient Registry to designate a caregiver or caregivers. A registered patient is permitted to identify a maximum of two individuals, aged 21 years or older, to serve as caregivers. The caregiver(s) must be registered before being designated.

Does Maryland accept out-of-state medical cards? 

Maryland doesn’t accept out-of-state medical cards at this time, as outlined on the MMCC Patient FAQ.

When does my Maryland medical marijuana card expire?  

Maryland medical marijuana cards issued after January 1st, 2019 expire three years from their date of issue. Cards issued before January 1st, 2019 will expire on the date listed on the card. After the card has been renewed, a new three-year period will go into effect.

Got your medical card? Find a dispensary in Maryland

With your medical card in hand, you can now obtain medical cannabis from this list of licensed dispensaries in Maryland. 

Maryland marijuana growing laws

Under the new recreational laws, adults will be able to grow two plants.

Home cultivation is not permitted for Maryland medical marijuana patients at this time. Home cultivation is punished as simple possession or possession with intent to deliver if the quantity produced is in excess of strict personal use.

Only licensed growers certified by the MMCC are allowed to cultivate cannabis within the state. These growers are subject to stringent background requirements and regulations.

Maryland cannabis public consumption laws

In Maryland, there are specific laws in place regarding the consumption of cannabis in public settings. Marijuana usage in public carries a civil fine of up to $500. Individuals found smoking cannabis in public places or in a motor vehicle, aircraft or a boat may be subject to civil or criminal penalties. 

Individuals found undertaking tasks under the influence of cannabis would constitute negligence or professional malpractice, and are also subject to such penalties.

Maryland cannabis DUI laws

Even in medical-use and adult-use states, it is illegal to drive while under the influence. In Maryland, a person may be found guilty of DUI if a law enforcement official judges them to be impaired by cannabis. 

Cannabis-related DUI cases are similar to those involving drugs deemed more dangerous by the state. Although possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana has been decriminalized in Maryland, driving while impaired by marijuana would still be considered a violation, as espoused in the transportation code.

• For a first offense, a person convicted of a violation could be sentenced to imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to $1000, or both.  
• Second offenses carried out within five years of the first offense will land the person up to two years in prison, a $2000 fine, or both. 
• Third offenses carried out within five years of the first offense will land a person up to three years in prison, a $3000 fine, or both.

All offenses carry a requirement of mandatory participation in a drug and alcohol education or treatment program.

Maryland cannabis testing regulations

Following the aftermath of the nationwide VAPI outbreak in 2019, Maryland lawmakers expanded the state’s testing requirements to include the presence of toxic levels of heavy metals in medical cannabis. 

This change means testing must now be performed both on flower at the growing stage and on oil at the processing stage. Lawmakers call the move—which is required for vaping products only—a correction to an oversight in the original medical marijuana law.

Lead is the main culprit, but chromium, manganese, and nickel have also been identified as problem contaminants. State law covering all medical marijuana products—not just vape carts—also calls for product batches to be tested for hair, insects, mold, and microbiological impurities. Testing in Maryland must be carried out in certified independent testing laboratories.