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US: Maryland legalized recreational marijuana. Here's what you should know. Karina Elwood The Washington Post Wednesday 09 Nov 2022 Under the initiative, listed as Question 4 on the ballot, adults 21 and older will be allowed to possess, smoke and grow marijuana. But there’s some fine print to be aware of regarding how much is allowed and when Marylanders can legally smoke. Here’s what you need to know about recreational marijuana legalization in Maryland. What to know When will pot become legal in Maryland? Can I smoke legally now? Can you grow weed at home? Where will you be able to buy cannabis? Will selling pot be legal? Can you smoke in public after legalization? When will pot become legal in Maryland? July 1, 2023. Starting that day, the ballot initiative will legalize personal possession of up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana for adults 21 and older. Possession of more than 1.5 ounces but less than 2.5 ounces will thereafter be punishable by a civil fine of up to $250. Possession of more than 2.5 ounces will be punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $1,000. Maryland projected to legalize recreational marijuana use Can I smoke legally now? For most people, not quite yet. But the state’s medical marijuana program will remain open for Marylanders with medical marijuana cards. Otherwise, until July, marijuana remains illegal but decriminalized in Maryland. Currently, possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana carries only a $100 civil fine. Decriminalization will be expanded up to 1.5 ounces from Jan. 1 to June 30 of next year. Can you grow weed at home? Yes. The initiative will allow adults to grow up to two cannabis plants in their home, out of the public view, starting July 1. Where will you be able to buy cannabis? Recreational sales will not be immediately available in Maryland. When lawmakers voted to put legalization on the ballot earlier this year, they also passed a companion bill outlining some next steps in the regulation process — such as timing, and what amounts of marijuana would be legal to possess — that would go into effect if voters passed the referendum. However, lawmakers have not yet established a framework for retail sales to begin. That will probably be a discussion during the next General Assembly session in January. Inside the ‘wild, wild west’ of Virginia’s marijuana market Will selling pot be legal? No. Selling marijuana without the proper licensing will remain illegal under the new law, classified as a misdemeanor and punishable by up to three years or a fine of up to $5,000. Can you smoke in public after legalization? No. Smoking marijuana in public will be punishable by up to $250. Will past marijuana possession charges be expunged? Yes. The companion bill passed in the spring included a provision to automatically expunge all cases in which possession of cannabis was the only charge. The provision also allows individuals incarcerated for cannabis possession to petition for resentencing. Cannabis bill leaves champions of criminal justice reform dissatisfied Is marijuana use legal in Virginia and D. C.? Yes. In 2014, D.C. voters passed Initiative 71, a referendum that legalized the possession of up to two ounces of marijuana for recreational use for adults 21 and older. But Congress has regulatory oversight of the District’s laws, and in 2015 it stymied plans to set up a regulated retail market, leaving pot illegal to buy or sell. Some D.C. shops, exploiting a legal loophole, allow customers to buy an item such as a lighter or mask and receive a free “gift” of marijuana with their purchase. You can't buy weed in D.C., but you can smoke it. Here's why. In Washington, D.C., people can legally smoke marijuana but they cannot buy or sell the plant. Here's why. (Video: Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post) Last year, the Virginia legislature legalized possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and cultivation of up to four plants for adults 21 and older. Like D.C., Virginia has yet to establish a framework for a legal market, leaving it illegal to buy or sell cannabis. But unlike D.C., there is no loophole for legal gifting shops to operate. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/11/09/maryland-legalized-recreational-marijuana-faq/
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