Maryland’s governor approves legislation on cannabis reform, abortion protection and gender-affirming treatment

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed six new bills into law on Wednesday, reports CBS News. The bills, a win for social liberals across the state and country, collectively cover safeguards for gender-affirming health care, abortion and cannabis reform. Let’s start by reviewing cannabis legislation.

Back in November, voters in Maryland approved an amendment to the state constitution that would allow adults age 21 and older to legally possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis. 67% of adults voted in favor of the bill creating the license and tax rates. The adult use tax rate in Maryland is 9%.

Legalization is always wonderful considering it means fewer people in prison. Admittedly, however, given the mass exodus of legal cannabis from other states like California, such bills also make one think, thanks to the bureaucracy, costs, and hurdles of a legal establishment, that sometimes the black market helps the legal cannabis industry the most.

Recreational Cannabis will open store in Maryland starting July 1st. Existing medicinal cannabis dispensaries will be granted dual licenses to enter the adult use market. Additionally, to make up for the racist victims of the War on Drugs, minority business owners in communities negatively affected by previous marijuana laws will be given priority for additional recreational licenses. ACLU data shows blacks are 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than whites, despite equal usage rates. “This will ensure that the introduction of recreational cannabis in our state promotes opportunity in an equitable manner,” Governor Moore said. “The criminalization of marijuana has profoundly harmed low-income communities and communities of color. We want to make sure that legalizing marijuana now empowers these communities in profound ways.”

Earlier this week, Governor Moore shut down concerns about his conflicts of interest. He had about $1.2 million in stock in a cannabis company that was placed in a blind trust managed by Brown Investment Advisory & Trust Company and approved by the state ethics commission last week.

Among the other bills that have come into force, two measures aim to expand access to affordable health insurance. It will automatically enroll people in Medicaid who are eligible but not already enrolled to reduce paperwork and cover an estimated 65,000 uninsured Marylanders. Another bill includes a mental health care package that aims to help people before their mental health problems become an emergency, such as mental health problems. B. Establishing a suicide and crisis prevention hotline.

Regarding abortion, a Maryland statute, given the repeal of Roe v. Wade refrains from protecting patients and providers from criminal, civil, and administrative penalties related to abortion bans or restrictions in other states, reports CBS. Another is a privacy law that protects medical and insurance records when health information is exchanged electronically. In addition, Governor Moore signed a bill into law to ensure Maryland’s public colleges and universities have a viable plan to provide students with easy access to emergency contraception and medical abortion (abortion pills).

Due to restrictive abortion laws in other states, Maryland is becoming a “safe haven state” where people travel to receive reproductive care unavailable in their hometown.

And as for gender-affirming healthcare, one of the six bills addresses the Trans Health Equity Act and explains how many gender-affirming practices are covered by Maryland’s Medicaid program. Under the legislation, which goes into effect January 1, Medicaid will cover additional gender-affirming treatments.

All six bills, from cannabis to gender-affirming health care, add up to a cohesive wellness package. For example, research shows that access to gender reassignment care reduces suicide rates, so ideally all six bills will make Maryland a safer and healthier place for its residents.