Adult-use consumers will be able to purchase legal cannabis in Maryland beginning July 1

Annapolis, MD — Beginning on Saturday, July 1, adults 21 and older will be able to legally possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to two plants for personal use in Maryland. On the same date, existing medical cannabis dispensaries that have paid a conversion fee will be able to serve adult-use customers. Other licenses will begin being issued to social equity applicants in early 2024.

“On the ballot last November, Marylanders made it clear they wanted an end to cannabis prohibition in the Free State. That historic moment has arrived. These new laws will dramatically reduce police interactions for cannabis, and provide adults 21 and older with safe, legal access to cannabis products. We’re proud to join our allies, legislative leaders, and Marylanders across the state in celebrating this victory and reflecting on the tireless work put in to get here,” said Olivia Naugle, senior policy analyst at the Marijuana Policy Project.

On November 8, 2022, 67.2% of Maryland voters (the highest margin of any ballot measure to legalize cannabis) approved Question 4, a legislatively referred ballot question to legalize cannabis for adults 21 and over. Earlier this year, lawmakers took the next step and passed twin bills (HB 556/ SB 516) to implement an adult-use cannabis market in Maryland, which Governor Wes Moore signed into law. More details on Question 4 and the companion bill (HB 837) to implement it are available here, and a full summary of the regulation laws (HB 556/ SB 516) is available here. 

There are now 23 states that have legalized cannabis for adults. Maryland will be the 20th state to begin recreational cannabis sales. Three states — Virginia, Delaware, and Minnesota — have legalized cannabis for adults, but legal sales have not begun yet. Washington, D.C.’s voters also legalized cannabis for adults’ use, but Congress has blocked the District from establishing a regulated adult-use market. 

In addition to the omnibus implementation bill, the legislature also passed HB 1071 in 2023, which provides the odor of cannabis alone is not grounds for a search and reduces the penalty for public smoking from a $250 fine to a $50 fine for a first offense. Governor Moore let the bill become law without his signature on May 19, and it will also go into effect on July 1, 2023.

MPP leads the Maryland Cannabis Policy Coalition, which for years has been advocating for equitable legalization. This advocacy spurred Maryland state lawmakers to refer Question 4 to the 2022 ballot and pass the companion bill to set up the initial steps for legalization. MPP also played an instrumental role in assisting the Yes on 4 campaign to ensure Question 4’s success. The coalition will continue advocating to improve Maryland's cannabis policies, including to provide employment protections for cannabis consumers, expand expungement, and to prevent parole and probation from being revoked for cannabis use.

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Concord, NH — On Wednesday, the Marijuana Policy Project and Americans for Prosperity-New Hampshire will host a Facebook Live event to discuss HB 639, a bipartisan cannabis legalization bill that was filed by New Hampshire’s Republican and Democratic House leaders — Representative Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) and Representative Matt Wilhelm (D-Manchester). There will also be a Q&A at the end.

What: New Hampshire Cannabis Legalization Virtual Town Hall — A discussion of the bipartisan bill to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults (HB 639) with public safety, health, and cannabis regulatory experts.

When: Wednesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Facebook Live (RSVP here)

Who: Dr. David L. Nathan, MD, psychiatrist, educator, founder and past president of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, and co-designer of the International Intoxicating Cannabinoid Product SymbolRick Van Wickler, Superintendent of the Cheshire County Department of Corrections (Ret.)

Barbara Brohl, JD, former Colorado Director of Revenue, Colorado’s chief cannabis regulator from 2011 through 2017, currently consultant at B J Brohl Strategies

Dr. Riley Kirk, PhD, cannabis research scientist and educator, N.H. Cannabis Association Advisory Board Member

Karen O’Keefe, JD, Director of State Policies, Marijuana Policy Project

Ross Connolly, Northeast Regional State Director, Americans for Prosperity (moderator)

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Dover, DE — On Tuesday, the Delaware Cannabis Policy Coalition will host a Facebook Live event with bill sponsor Rep. Ed Osienski to discuss what the new legalization laws do and what that means for Delawareans. There will also be a Q&A at the end.

What: Delaware’s New Legalization Laws: A Facebook Live Discussion

When: Tuesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Facebook Live (RSVP here)

Who: Zoë Patchell, Executive Director of the Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network; Toi Hutchinson, President and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project; and Representative Ed Osienski (RD-24), prime sponsor of HB 1 and HB 2. Moderated by Olivia Naugle, Senior Policy Analyst at the Marijuana Policy Project.

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Read the Marijuana Policy Project’s full report on adult-use cannabis tax revenue here

Washington, D.C. — On May 1st, the Marijuana Policy Project released a new report on tax revenue generated from state-legal, adult-use cannabis.

As of the end of 2022, states have reported a combined total of more than $15.1 billion in tax revenue from legal, adult-use cannabis sales since 2014 when sales began in Colorado and Washington. In 2022 alone, legalization states generated more than $3.77 billion in cannabis tax revenue from adult-use sales.

“States that have made the decision to legalize and regulate cannabis are benefiting from hundreds of millions in tax revenue each year. These new streams of revenue are helping to fund crucial social services and programs across the country, such as education, alcohol and drug treatment, veterans’ services, job training, and reinvestment in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the war on cannabis. The states that lag behind will not only be doing a disservice to their constituents — they will also be leaving money on the table,” said Toi Hutchinson, President and CEO of the Marijuana Policy Project.

Although cannabis sales have continued to generate billions in annual tax revenue, 2022 marked the first year with a decrease in tax revenues compared to the prior year. Even as new states came online, there was a slight decrease in total state cannabis tax revenue — from over $3.86 billion in 2021 compared to $3.77 billion in 2022. Prior to 2022, every legalization state had seen annual increases in cannabis tax revenue. However, six states with the most mature legalization laws experienced decreases in cannabis tax revenue over the past year, while newer legalization states generated more cannabis tax revenue in 2022 than in 2021. It is important to note that while '22 figures were down from '21 in more mature markets, they were still higher than any year pre-COVID for each state.

As Vicente LLP Director of Economics and Research Andrew Livingston explained, 2022’s revenue decreases were “due to a multitude of factors,” and that one of them is likely COVID-related. “While 2022 cannabis taxes are lower in some established markets than they were in 2021, it's important to know how COVID-19 and pandemic initiated lockdown orders increased cannabis demand. People could not spend their money going to concerts, going out to dinner, or vacation travel. So many people increased their consumption of consumer packaged goods. Cannabis was a product that could still be purchased and made the difficulty of staying at home for months on end watching TV shows and movies a bit more enjoyable.”

MPP’s tax revenue report includes each legalization state’s adult-use cannabis tax structure, population, and year-by-year adult-use cannabis tax revenue. The full report is available at LINK.

Twenty-two states have passed laws to legalize cannabis possession for adults 21 and older. All but two of them — Maryland and Virginia — have also legalized, regulated, and taxed cannabis sales. (However, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is expected to sign a bill to legalize and regulate sales.) Several other states are building strong momentum to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2023, including Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Ohio. 

2022 State-by-State Totals:

• Alaska: $28,649,408
• Arizona: $223,863,799
• California: $1,074,560,287
• Colorado: $305,034,034
• Illinois: $562,119,019
• Maine: $25,329,534
• Massachusetts: $250,710,415
• Michigan: $326,049,074
• Montana: $41,989,466
• Nevada: $196,952,338
• New Jersey: $20,139,655
• New Mexico: $36,684,235
• Rhode Island: $579,439
• Oregon: $150,316,424
• Washington: $529,443,420
• Vermont: $2,363,000

Year-by-Year Totals:

• 2014: $68,503,980
• 2015: $264,211,871
• 2016: $530,521,110
• 2017: $736,534,982
• 2018: $1,308,693,928
• 2019: $1,749,459,667
• 2020: $2,814,837,199
• 2021: $3,866,974,690
• 2022: $3,774,783,548
• CUMULATIVE TOTAL: $15,114,520,975

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We did it!! Today, Governor Carney announced that he will allow HB 1 and HB 2, bills to legalize and regulate cannabis for adults, to became law without his signature. The First State will officially become the 22nd state to legalize cannabis!

Since the governor had until Saturday, April 22 to act on HB 1, the bill will officially become law as the day ends. The governor had until Wednesday, April 26th to act on HB 2, so that bill will become law thereafter.

For years, our coalition has advocated and organized to end cannabis prohibition in Delaware. From organizing lobby days, rallies, and town halls, testifying in key committees, conducting media outreach, voter guides, and so much more, we’re proud to have played a leading role to reach this historic moment. We’ve been awed by the amazing coalition of volunteers who stepped up year after year despite hurdles — including Gov. Carney’s veto last year!

We’d like to extend a huge thank you and congratulations to the lead sponsors of HB 1 and HB 2, Representative Ed Osienski and Senator Trey Paradee, for their years of commitment and work to legalize cannabis in Delaware.

Finally, we could not have reached this point without the persistence and support of Delawareans across the state. Thank you!

Congratulations, Delaware! 

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HB 639, a bill to legalize marijuana in New Hampshire, has bipartisan sponsors in House and Senate

Concord, N.H. — Marijuana legalization is one step closer to reality in New Hampshire after the state House of Representatives voted 272-109 to pass HB 639. While legalization efforts have fallen short in recent years, this year’s effort has positive momentum heading into the state Senate with HB 639 having bipartisan sponsors in both the House and Senate. 

HB 639, which would legalize marijuana for adults over the age of 21, is co-sponsored by House Republican and Democrat leaders, Representative Jason Osborne (R) and Representative Matt Wilhelm (D), and is supported by a broad coalition of representatives from the marijuana industry and civil rights and policy groups. 

Polling has shown that the vast majority, more than 70%, of New Hampshire residents support the legalization of marijuana for adults. In recent years, legalization bills have passed in the state House of Representatives, but have fallen short in the state Senate. 

“I am pleased to see New Hampshire take a step toward relieving gangsters and thugs from control of this market, keeping dangerous untested products away from consumers, and protecting children from harmful age-inappropriate products,” said Representative Jason Osborne.

“With the decisive passage of HB 639, the New Hampshire House has sent a strong message that this is the year to legalize adult-use cannabis in the Granite State,” said Representative Matt Wilhelm. “Every year we fail to legalize marijuana, the state wastes valuable resources and ruins the lives of many young and poor Granite Staters by enforcing failed prohibition. New Hampshire remains the only state in New England that has failed to legalize cannabis, while our neighbors benefit from increased revenue and their cannabis users benefit from safer testing and regulation of the product. Legalization of adult possession of small amounts of cannabis is the right thing to do for New Hampshire and we must get it done in 2023.”

HB 639 now passes to the state Senate, where it also will be supported by a bipartisan group.  State Senator Keith Murphy (R), State Senator Becky Whitley (D), and State Senator Donovan Fenton (D) are supporting this bill through the Senate, and plan to work with members of their parties to get adult-use marijuana legalization to the governor’s desk for the first time.

“Prohibition has proven over and over to be a failed public policy,” said State Senator Keith Murphy. “It is especially ineffective when all of our surrounding states have already legalized marijuana possession and use. Investigating and prosecuting cannabis possession is a terrible waste of tax dollars. For these reasons, I am encouraging my Senate colleagues to support the bill.”

“There’s momentum behind marijuana legalization this year, Granite Staters want this to happen and it’s time that lawmakers come together and listen to our constituents,” said State Senator Becky Whitley. “HB 639 would stop the cycle of harm caused by enforcing marijuana prohibition from the day that it’s signed. With such far-reaching, positive impact at stake, there’s no time to wait.” 

The broader coalition of bill HB 639 includes: Americans for Prosperity - New Hampshire, The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Cannabis Association, Prime ATC, Hon. Timothy Egan, Hon. Joe Hannon, Attorney Paul Twomey, and the Marijuana Policy Project. 

Coalition members said:

Ross Connolly, AFP-NH Deputy State Director, said, “We applaud the New Hampshire House for once again passing HB 639 by an overwhelming, bipartisan majority. Public polling consistently shows 70%+ of Granite Staters support legalizing cannabis for adults. Representatives made it clear that they stand with their constituents by finding a bipartisan compromise that protects consumer safety, restricts access to minors, and keeps the regulatory and tax structure low to ensure retail cannabis in the Granite State is competitive with our neighbors. We encourage the Senate and Governor to join the House in supporting this thoughtful and uniquely New Hampshire approach to legalizing cannabis for adults.”

Frank Knaack, Policy Director for the ACLU of New Hampshire, said, “Sold to the public in the name of public safety, New Hampshire’s marijuana laws needlessly ensnare over a thousand people -- disproportionately Black people -- in its criminal justice system every year. New Hampshire's war on marijuana harms community safety, wastes taxpayer dollars, is enforced with a staggering racial bias, and ruins lives — it's time for it to end.”

Hon. Timothy Egan, NHCANN Board of Advisors Chair, said "HB 639 is a great example of intelligent, bipartisan legislation by two important House Committees. It answers our residents' call for regulation, in a fiscally prudent manner, while being socially respectful to our communities, public safety officials and patients. We look forward to engaging the Senate and Governor, to gain their insights on this "New Hampshire way" of legalizing cannabis for adults.”

Karen O’Keefe, Marijuana Policy Project director of state policies, said, “Year after year, legalization bills have died in the Senate after passing the House, leaving New Hampshire as the only state in New England that hasn’t legalized and regulated cannabis for adults. HB 639 is informed by the lessons of the 21 states that have already legalized cannabis and reflects the priorities and values of New Hampshire. It's past time for the Granite State to live up to its ’Live Free’ motto and finally end their status as an island of prohibition by passing this bill.“

View a bill summary from the Marijuana Policy Project here, and a fact sheet from the ACLU of New Hampshire here.

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Frankfort, KY — Governor Andy Beshear (D) has signed SB 47 into law, making Kentucky the 38th state to legalize medical cannabis for patients with debilitating conditions.

“Kentuckians who are suffering will finally be able to have access to safe, legal medical cannabis. We applaud the Kentucky legislature for recognizing the value of medical cannabis and passing legislation that will help provide relief and meet the needs of patients with serious medical conditions throughout the state, and are also grateful for the governor’s championing of this compassionate issue,” said Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project.

Regulations are due by July 1, 2024, and the law will take effect on January 1, 2025. SB 47 does not allow cannabis smoking, but it allows raw cannabis and vaporization. The list of qualifying conditions includes PTSD and “chronic, severe, intractable, or debilitating pain.” It also provides for additional conditions to be approved administratively. For more details, a summary of the legislation is available here. 

A February 2020 Kentucky Health Issues poll found that 90% of Kentuckians support medical cannabis.

Thirty-eight states — including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and now Kentucky — have laws providing the framework for patients with debilitating medical conditions to have access to regulated cannabis products under a doctor’s care.

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Kentucky House Approves Medical Cannabis Legislation; Bill Now Heads to Gov. Beshear’s Desk 

Frankfort, KY — On Thursday, the Kentucky House of Representatives voted in favor (66-33) of SB 47, a bill that would legalize medical cannabis for patients with debilitating conditions. This marks the third time the full House has voted on the issue, and the third time that it passed. 

Earlier this month, the Kentucky Senate passed SB47 in a historic 26-11 vote. The bill now heads to Governor Andy Beshear’s desk, who is expected to sign it into law. A summary of the bill is available here.

“For years, patients have fought long and hard to urge the legislature to pass a bill that would alleviate their suffering, and with this latest vote, Kentucky is finally on the brink of becoming the next state to legalize medical cannabis. While SB47 is more restrictive compared to some state medical cannabis laws, it is a vital step forward toward meeting the needs of patients in Kentucky. They should not continue to suffer or be forced to seek relief in the illicit market,” said Kevin Caldwell, Southeast legislative manager at the Marijuana Policy Project.

A February 2020 Kentucky Health Issues poll found that 90% of Kentuckians support medical cannabis.

Thirty-seven states — including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi — have laws providing the framework for patients with debilitating medical conditions to have access to regulated cannabis products under a doctor’s care. 

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Dover, DE — On Tuesday, the Delaware Senate voted in favor (16-4) of HB 1, a bill that would legalize possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for adults. Additionally, the chamber voted in favor (15-5) HB 2, a bill that would set up a regulatory framework for adult-use cannabis sales. 

HB 1 and HB 2 have been approved by the House of Representatives in supermajority votes of 28-13 and 27-13, respectively. Both bills will now proceed to Governor John Carney’s desk for his consideration. 

“With this latest vote, the fight to legalize cannabis in Delaware is nearing the finish line. Cannabis policy reform has garnered widespread support among Delawareans for years. Meanwhile, neighboring states have already made the move to legalize cannabis. It’s encouraging to see the legislature advance these bills with veto-proof majorities. We hope Gov. Carney will heed the will of the people and allow Delaware to become the 22nd state to legalize cannabis. Any further delay to cannabis legalization would be a detriment to the state," Olivia Naugle, senior policy analyst at the Marijuana Policy Project.

In 2022, cannabis legalization fell short when Gov. Carney became the first Democratic governor to veto a cannabis legalization bill and the House of Representatives failed to override the decision. Following today’s vote, the margins of both chambers would be enough to override a veto.

Polling has shown that a supermajority of Delaware voters support legalizing cannabis. To date, 21 states have passed laws to legalize cannabis for adult use, including neighboring New Jersey and Maryland. Meanwhile, several bills to legalize adult-use cannabis are working their way through state legislatures such as Minnesota and New Hampshire. 

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Honolulu, HI — On Tuesday, the Hawaii Senate voted in favor (22-3) of SB 669, a cannabis legalization bill sponsored by Sen. Stanley Chang (D), Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D), Sen. Angus McKelvey (D), and Sen. Joy San Buenaventura (D).

“For years, advocates have been working to pass legislation to sensibly legalize cannabis in Hawaii. Now that this bill has advanced out of the Senate, Hawaii is one step closer to becoming the next state to end cannabis prohibition,” said DeVaughn Ward, senior legislative counsel at the Marijuana Policy Project and Hawaii resident.

If enacted, SB 669 would legalize possession of 30 grams, reduce penalties for unlicensed cultivation and sales, allow adults to cultivate no more than six plants within their residence, and expunge records for possession and gifting of cannabis of 30 grams. Additionally, the bill would establish a Hawaii Cannabis Authority and require medical licensees to present a medical preservation plan before they are allowed to convert to dual use businesses. You can check out a summary of the latest version of SB 669 here.

SB 669 will now proceed to the House where there will be more opportunities for improvements to be made.

A recent poll found that 86% of Hawaiian residents support legalizing cannabis for adults 21 and over. To date, 21 states have passed laws to legalize cannabis for adult use, including every state along the western seaboard.

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