Maryland Marijuana Laws
Maryland State Information Page
- Medical Program only
- Decriminalized statewide for minor possession
- Medical patients can possess a thirty-day supply; edible forms are not permitted; recreational possession is illegal.
- Cultivation is recreationally illegal, and medical patients are not allowed to grow at home
Marijuana has been partially decriminalized in Maryland since 2010; however, recreational laws have not yet caught up and a medical bill was just passed and finalized this year.
There are marijuana initiatives hopeful to get to the ballot in November so residents can vote to legalize specific amounts for adult use.
State Laws and Offenses
Here’s a list of penalties for Maryland’s possession, sale, and distribution of marijuana, concentrate, or paraphernalia.
- Marijuana is a Schedule I substance in the state of Maryland
- Under federal law, cannabis is still considered a Schedule I Controlled Substance
- Simple possession (possession without the intent to distribute) of less than ten grams in Maryland is a civil offense.
- Possession of between ten grams and less than fifty pounds of marijuana is a misdemeanor with a punishment of up to one-year imprisonment and a fine not exceeding 1,000 USD.
- Cultivation in Maryland is punished as either simple possession or as possession with intent to deliver, depending on the amount of marijuana being produced and other factors that may lead to the conclusion that the marijuana was being grown for reasons other than strictly personal use.
- Possession of marijuana-related paraphernalia is a civil violation.
The following is a list of the most common qualifying medical conditions that qualify for a Maryland medical card and the ability to purchase medical cannabis:
- Cachexia, Anorexia, or Wasting Syndrome
- Severe or chronic pain
- Glaucoma
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Seizures
- Severe or persistent muscle spasms
- Severe nausea
- Seizures (severe)
- Another chronic medical condition that is severe and for which other treatments have been ineffective.
1.
Book An Appointment
You will schedule an online appointment with a Leafy DOC medical marijuana doctor at a time that is most convenient for you. Provide basic medical history and book your appointment with a licensed medical marijuana doctor.
2.
Evaluation
Consult with a doctor for 15 minutes to evaluate your ailments, and ask any questions you may have about medical marijuana treatment.
3.
Approval
Within 24 hours after the evaluation, the doctor will send your certificate via email for your recommendation for medical marijuana. After receiving that recommendation, you can then apply with the state of Maryland to complete the registration process.
4.
State Registration
Complete your registration on the state website using the electronic certificate your Leafy DOC doctor issued.
When does my Maryland medical card expire?
Medical cards issued by the state of Maryland expire 3 years, however medical marijuana prescriptions from a physician expire every year from the date the patient completes the registration process with the state.
Maryland marijuana DUI laws
The penalties for driving under the influence in Maryland are as follows:
- First offense convictions could result in imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of 1000 USD.
- Second offenses could result in up to two years in prison and a 2000 USD fine.
- Third offenses could result in up to three years in jail and a 3000 USD fine.
All DUI offenses require mandatory drug and alcohol education or treatment program.
Maryland marijuana growing laws
Maryland does not permit home cultivation for medical marijuana patients at this time. It can be punished as simple possession or possession intended to deliver if you possess more than enough for personal use.
Licensed growers certified by the MMCC can cultivate cannabis within the state once they have met background requirements and regulations.
Maryland public consumption laws
Cannabis usage in public carries a civil fine of up to 500 USD in the state of Maryland. People caught smoking cannabis in public places or on motor vehicles, aircraft, or boats may be subject to criminal penalties.
Maryland city specific laws
The laws listed here are for the state. Cities, counties, schools, universities, and employers may set their own rules and consequences. Be sure to check how marijuana laws differ in each county or town before you use.
In a recent poll, 60 percent of Maryland voters supported the legalization of marijuana for medical use.
Marijuana is currently not legal for recreational use in the state of Maryland. Due to the medical program that has been established, it will be permitted for medicinal purposes only.
Those that have applied and obtained a Maryland cannabis license or certified patients will be allowed possession.
Medical marijuana inhalation devices are legal in the state of Maryland. State-licensed dispensaries offer vape cartridges for purchase along with edible cannabis products and other forms.
No. Medical cannabis patients and caregivers are not authorized to cultivate marijuana at home.
es. Maryland law requires all qualified patients to be registered with the state before using cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Requirements for a Maryland Medical Marijuana Card are as follows:
- Be 18 years of age or older with a driver’s license or government ID to apply for a medical marijuana card in Maryland to obtain medical cannabis.
- Maryland patients must be able to provide proof of your Maryland residency
- You must submit medical records with a diagnosis that qualifies you as a medical marijuana patient
- A medical cannabis patient must submit a valid written certification from a licensed medical marijuana doctor with your MMP application – and that is where Leafy Doc can help.
- We can assist with booking your appointment and then provide the Physician Certification so that you can apply to Maryland’s medical marijuana program, get a patient ID number, and obtain medical marijuana from a licensed dispensary.
Cannabis Policy Reform Timeline
2010: Maryland had the fifth highest arrest rate for marijuana possession; disproportionately so for minority communities within the state
2013: The Natale M. LaPrade, Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC), was formed and began operations. This allowed Maryland residents to purchase medical marijuana in Maryland with a medical cannabis card authorized by a registered provider.
2014: Governor O’Malley signed a law to decriminalize marijuana possession of ten grams or less
2016: Marijuana paraphernalia possession was dropped down to a civil infraction for direct law enforcement purposes.
2017: State legislatures introduced a bill to regulate, legalize, and tax adult-use marijuana
2019: A task force titled ‘Marijuana Legalization Workgroup” was formed to push for the legalization of recreational cannabis
2021: House Bill 32 was introduced to legalize weed in Maryland fully
2022: Marijuana activists are hoping to gain enough signatures to bring recreational cannabis to the ballot for voters
Some of the Current Cannabis Bills in Maryland
- MD SB614 - Criminal Law - Controlled Dangerous Substances - Schedules - Adjustment
- MD HB481 - Drug Paraphernalia for Administration - Decriminalization
- MD SB788 - Cannabis - Regulation - Revisions
- MD HB1 - Constitutional Amendment - Cannabis - Adult Use and Possession
- MD SB286 - Firearms – Use of Medical Cannabis
Learn more about Cannabis legalization in Maryland:
Updated 6.14.2022