Medical cannabis is legal in Maryland since 2014, when the bill 881 of the House of Representatives was launched. From that moment on, the was created Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, which establishes a registry of patients diagnosed with diseases that can be treated with marijuana.
Recreational or recreational marijuana is not legal yet in the state of Maryland, but since the passage of Bill 364 in 2014 the penalties have been greatly reduced. A cautious consumer does not have to have many problems in this regard, but it must be borne in mind that it is still illegal..
🔥 What does the law say regarding recreational marijuana?
Currently, the possession of less than 10 grams of buds for personal use is considered a civil offense that carries a fine of $ 100, and does not carry a jail sentence. The problem is that they are cumulative penalties, and after the fourth it becomes a misdemeanor, with a fine of $ 1,000 and up to 1 year in prison.
Possession of an amount between 10 grams and 50 pounds (22.68 kilos) is considered a crime, punishable by a fine of $ 1000 and up to one year in prison, as well as if you accumulate more than 3 penalties for possession of up to 10 grams . Possession of more than 50 pounds is a felony in this state, and carries high penalties.
✅ What are the requirements to be eligible for medical cannabis?
Enrollment in the state program’s patient and caregiver registry and submit a written certification from a physician authorized to prescribe medical marijuana. This doctor will have to demonstrate that the patient has any of the pathologies for which cannabis has been shown to be a good treatment, below you can see the list of qualifying diseases:
- Anorexia
- Seizures
- Severe or chronic pain Severe
- loss of appetite
- Nausea severe
- Cachexia or wasting syndrome
- Glaucoma
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Severe or persistent muscle spasms
- Any condition that is serious, for which other medical treatments have been ineffective
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🚀 How much herb is legal in Maryland
Patients who obtain the medical card can buy and possess up to 120 grams of cannabis, in the form of buds or creams and lotions for topical use. A doctor may ask that a patient’s dose be increased, and the patient will be entitled to receive more.
Marijuana can be vaporized, but it is not approved for smoking. This does not happen in other states of the USA, but it must be understood that inhaling the smoke from any type of combustion is toxic, and vaporizing the same product reduces the risks without losing the therapeutic efficacy of cannabis.
📖 Where to buy legal medical marijuana in Baltimore, Annapolis, Westminster, and the entire state of Maryland?
Luckily you have very good dispensaries in this state, especially in its main cities of course. Here you can see the Top 10 of the best dispensaries in Maryland according to Civilized.life, and in this link you have a great list of establishments that sell medical marijuana to patients or caregivers authorized.
👌 Is it legal to smoke pot in Maryland?
Yes, but only in a private setting, that is, in your own home or that of another person from whom you have authorization to do so, but never in a public place. This does not distinguish between recreational or therapeutic users, and can lead to severe fines depending on the context of the situation.
The interior of a vehicle is not considered a private space, so it is also forbidden to smoke cannabis, whether in motion or parked, it does not matter. Of course, it is also forbidden to drive under the influence of marijuana, and not only motor vehicles, but also by bicycle, be careful!
✨ Is synthetic marijuana legal in Maryland?
No, in fact it is one of the states with the strongest penalties in this regard. Let us remember that one of the main problems that the authorities face when controlling these substances is that they slightly modify their formulation once they are prohibited, achieving similar effects with a molecule that is not yet controlled.
Maryland legislators changed their strategy in this regard, and instead of trying to control the molecule itself, they have chosen to ban together drugs called “cannabimimetic agents” that encompass all these substances that mimic the effects of marijuana.
Penalties for use or possession of synthetic marijuana in Maryland are tough, and can carry up to 4 years in prison and a fine of up$ 25,000. The distribution of this substance is considered a felony, with penalties of up to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of $ 25,000. The penalties are cumulative, and are increasing for recidivism.
It must be recognized that synthetic marijuana has caused serious problems in various parts of the world, with very diverse effects caused by the low homogenization of commercial products, which are also sold under very different names. In the following list you can see some of those commercial brands:
- K-2
- Spice
- Voodoo Spice
- Scooby Snax
- Mr. Nice Guy
- Mystery
- Mr. Smiley
- Blaze
- Crazy Clown
⛳ Growing marijuana for self-consumption
Growing marijuana in Maryland is prohibited, regardless of whether it is for own use, or that this consumption is medicinal, in any case it is illegal. It would be nice to enact a law that allows the sick or their carers to grow their own cannabis, as is the case in many other states in this country, but so far it has not been done.
Another thing is the cultivation of industrial hemp, which since 2016 is allowed in Maryland, just as it is allowed to sell CBD products derived from hemp. In a short time, a large industry is being created around this plant, and only the self-sufficiency part remains to be covered.
⭐ Conclusion
It is clear that Maryland’s laws regarding cannabis are not the best in the United States, but they are not the worst either. A card patient has access to quality medical cannabis easily and relatively inexpensively, but a recreational marijuana user can get in trouble if they are caught with more than 10 grams on top.
We assume that the points that remain to be improved will change in the next wave of legalization that is expected in the USA, but so far we must take into account what is stated in this article.
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