MD lawmakers push legislation on licensing, sale regulations ahead of recreational marijuana legalization

MARYLAND – Starting July 1st, recreational marijuana will be legal in Maryland. Now, lawmakers are working to get other legislation in place to regulate the sale.

House Bill 556 would restructure the states Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to include Cannabis and establish a licensing system for adult use.

The bill also looks expand equity and access to capital for minority owned business in the marketplace.

We caught with bill sponsor Delegate C.T. Wilson after the bill’s most recent hearing who tells us it was great to get feedback from citizens and activists.

He says his to priority is safe usage. “That ensures that it’s just Maryland product that’s being sold and that product will be inspected multiple times. And that our retail establishments and dispensaries are just selling Maryland product,” Delegate Wilson said.

The bill also calls a state sales tax of 6% to start, reaching 10 percent by 2028. Delegate Wilson says keeping the tax low will hopefully dismantle the black market.

He adds this bill was filed as an emergency piece of legislation to ensure they meet the July 1st effective date.