Legalization campaign kicks off in Maryland ahead of November vote

A campaign to bring legal cannabis to Maryland was officially launched in earnest Thursday as supporters try to rally support ahead of November’s vote on the initiative.

The measure, which appears as “Question 4” on the ballot, would legalize cannabis possession in Maryland for adults 21 and older and also establish a regulated marijuana industry in the state.

The measure requires a simple majority and will come into effect on July 1, 2023, if voters pass it.

Question 4 is backed by a power player in the cannabis industry. According to The Washington Post, the campaign relies “on funding from Trulieve … an industry giant with dispensaries in eight states, including three medical sites in Maryland.” The newspaper reports that Trulieve donated $50,000 to the Question 4 campaign, which has only one other donor, Blended Public Affairs, who contributed $100 to the effort.

The campaign chair is Eugene Monroe, a former Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman who has become an advocate for cannabis reform since retiring from the NFL.

“Legalizing cannabis would boost Maryland’s economy and create tens of thousands of high-paying jobs while allowing Maryland residents to benefit from vital investments in education, public health and public safety funded by cannabis taxes,” said Monroe in a statement quoted by The Washington Post.

In a statement on the Yes on 4 campaign’s official website, Monroe says the passage of “Question 4 will put an end to the failed criminalization of cannabis, create a well-regulated legal marijuana market focused on justice, and create new ones.” Doors for local entrepreneurs and small business owners.”

“I hope every Marylander will vote yes to question 4 this November,” he says.

The campaign says the proposal would “result in the creation of a well-regulated legal market for cannabis sales, create tens of thousands of new jobs in Maryland, and could provide new opportunities for hundreds of local small business owners and entrepreneurs,” while also “through the creation of new small businesses.” and career paths within the cannabis industry, legalization would provide an economic boost for related industries that already provide high-paying jobs for many Marylanders, including construction, real estate, and transportation.”

The Yes on 4 campaign also claims that legalization “is estimated to generate over $135 million in annual tax revenue for the state,” a figure that says “the city and county revenue or savings from the millions of Dollar Maryland spends every year enforcing marijuana possession laws.”

The Maryland legislature passed legislation earlier this year that set the stage for the electoral referendum. Under the passed legislation, the Washington Post reported Thursday, “the state will conduct a study of the public health impact of marijuana and an inequality study that will examine the business market and examine what might be required to help women if the referendum is passed – and minority-owned companies will enter the industry.”

The campaign says the new law would create a Cannabis Business Assistance Fund “to help minority-owned businesses and women who want to enter the legal cannabis market” to “level the playing field and ensure those in Maryland most often those left behind get a fair shot at the economic opportunities created by legalizing marijuana.”

The state’s Republican Governor Larry Hogan did not sign the law passed earlier this year, meaning his signature would not be required for it to go into effect.

Polls suggest cannabis advocates could win a big win in Maryland next November.

A March poll found that 62% of Marylanders support the legalization of recreational cannabis, while just 34% said they opposed it.