Maryland is planning a recreational cannabis vote in the 2022 election

Marijuana is becoming an integral part of political rallies, campaigns, and legislation. You don’t have to wonder why this is the norm as global interest in cannabis has increased and various states and nations are pledging to research and harness its potential through legalization.

So it’s not shocking to see Maryland take the same approach as its lawmakers are planning measures to legalize cannabis for their 2022 elections. Lawmakers announced that the government’s legislature would rely on voters to reform marijuana policy.

They intend to do this by passing statewide measures on cannabis legislation in 2022. Maryland House of Representatives Speaker Adrienne A. Jones made a statement saying she will create a legislative working group to begin investigating conditions surrounding cannabis legalization.

She expressed concern about encouraging marijuana use among young adults and children. However, she also claimed that the effects of an unjustified criminal justice system convinced her to allow voters to contribute to the legalization discourse in 2022.

Jones also said the House of Representatives will pass its legislation in early 2022, so the question will be put to voters after cannabis was thoroughly examined in the fall.

The Maryland Working Group is charged with studying marijuana for legalization.

To show how serious they are about this 2022 goal, Maryland has set up a working group to look at all aspects of cannabis legalization. By “all aspects” here, we mean owning and buying legal marijuana and licensing and overseeing the marijuana business. Taxes and the number of marijuana licenses issued by Maryland are also examined.

Maryland lawmakers also included proposals for social justice into the investigation. As well as the idea of ​​overturning and sealing previous convictions for cannabis offenses and dropping the charges in all undecided cases.

Maryland’s efforts for cannabis and restorative social justice

Whenever a state wants to legalize cannabis, it is often imperative to consider minority communities that were marginalized prior to the start of the legalization talk. Marijuana use has had mixed effects on minority communities like people of color for far too long.

Former American Education Secretary John King also advocated Maryland’s legalization efforts, which focus on social justice. He reiterated in a tweet that legalizing cannabis is just one step, and Maryland also needs to ensure that black-run businesses receive some preference. He wants such companies to participate fairly from licensing to sale.

He also pointed out in a tweet that blacks in Maryland are almost twice as likely as whites to be jailed for possessing cannabis, despite consuming it at the same pace. Therefore, marijuana shouldn’t just be legalized; in the case of non-violent offenders, the previous records should be deleted.

The chair of the working group, Del. Luke Clippinger, released a statement saying the working group will set the legal framework for the implementation of all cannabis legislative processes. They also aim to learn from the mistakes of the past and the mistakes of other states regarding social justice.

Clippinger further notes that the house spokesman has instructed the working group to do their job with an “eye for justice” and “consideration for black and brown neighborhoods”. You should also consider black and brown companies that have historically been affected by marijuana use.

Eric Luedtke is the majority leader in the house and is responsible for directing the group’s efforts to tax all commercially manufactured marijuana products. He claims that marijuana prohibition laws are not equally enforced. Hence there should be legislative action to ensure restorative justice measures for all marginalized communities.

Luedtke insists that many legislators share his idea of ​​racial justice in the context of cannabis legalization. His claim is based on the fact that the prosecution of the drug war was disproportionate to low-income and minority communities. In the process of legalizing Maryland, the state must ensure that some of these issues are addressed so that communities can experience justice.

Medical marijuana is already legal in Maryland.

Interestingly, Maryland legalized marijuana for medical use in 2013. Despite strong support for consistent reforms, recreational cannabis is still illegal. A survey conducted by Goucher College in March found that two-thirds of Maryland residents support legalizing adult marijuana.

However, state lawmakers have yet to pass the legalization bill tabled earlier this year, though other Maryland states have made progress with their cannabis reforms. A good example is Washington DC, which legalized home growing and possession of recreational marijuana in 2014. Virginia also passed more detailed adult cannabis law earlier this year.

On July 1, adult possession of a small amount of cannabis was legalized in Virginia, and licensed sales (retail) will begin in 2024. Maryland Legislature Senate President Bill Ferguson headed the 2019 working group on marijuana legalization released a statement stating that the Senate is committed to a fair, just, and just marijuana trial and everything will begin at its 2022 session.

Ferguson agrees that Maryland lags behind other states, which is why he pointed out that 18 states have legalized recreational cannabis. He believes it is time for Maryland to take the same step in a fairer way. He also fully supports the working group that deals with all injustices related to cannabis in the state criminal justice system.

Bottom line

Maryland is beginning to join the cannabis legalization movement that has gripped other states in America. The most exciting thing about their 2022 goal is the deliberate incorporation of correcting any ills inflicted on minority communities as a result of owning or using marijuana.

2022 will be a fascinating year for cannabis enthusiasts, experts, and entrepreneurs in Maryland. As Maryland launches its legalization program, it is evident that more states will follow suit, all to achieve the global goal of marijuana legalization.

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