In just a few days marijuana will be officially legal for adult use in Maryland, but the rules and regulations can sometimes be a little confusing.
Here’s what you need to know about recreational marijuana once adult use opens up July 1 and how you can buy and consume it safely.
Who can buy it?
Cannabis will be legal for anyone 21 and over to buy and consume starting July 1. People who want to buy marijuana must go to a state licensed dispensary or grow their own marijuana in their home.
The new law allows people to grow up to two plants in their home at one time.
How much can I have?
There are limits to how much marijuana you can be in possession of at one time. Maryland law states that adults without medical licenses can possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana at a time. Anything more than that and you may be subjected to a $250 fine. Hefty amounts above 2.5 ounces could come with criminal charges.
Where can I smoke?
Mostly in private areas. It is illegal in Maryland to smoke in public spaces. If you are caught smoking in a public area you can be fined $50 for your first offense.
Smoking in your home is probably your best bet. If you’re a renter or live in an apartment building, you may want to check your lease to ensure you’re not breaking any rules.
Maryland will also permit social space smoking. Those are areas like cafés that have licenses for smoking indoors and adhere to certain safety standards.
What can I expect on day one?
Possibly long lines. Volley Hayhurst, the vice president for operations at Columbia Care, a company that owns dispensaries in 15 states plus the District of Columbia, says previous states that legalized recreational marijuana saw high demand on the first day. New Jersey recently opened its adult use market and saw people lining up at dispensaries as early as 5:30 am to buy their first toke of legal week.
According to the Maryland Cannabis Administration, 94 dispensaries that had already been open for medical use, have paid the one-time conversion fee to sell for adult use on Saturday.
The number of dispensaries may help with the wait time. New Jersey only had 12 prepared to sell to the public on opening day.
Supply may be short too.
“Current capacity in terms of the amount of cannabis that's being produced in the state falls short of the expected demand,” said Mathew Swinburne, the associate director for the Network of Public Health Law, Eastern Region. “I believe it was, like 20%, or 30%, of the expected demand.”
What can I buy?
The options are extremely varied. Marijuana products have expanded over the years. There is the classic flower that people burn and smoke. However, there are also lollipops, gummies, milkshakes, cookies, chocolates, sodas, oils, creams, vapes, waxes, tinctures, dermal patches, salves and even suppositories.
Will medical patients still be able to get their marijuana with all the demand?
Yes. The Maryland Cannabis Administration put out emergency regulations for the beginning of the market. Stores will reserve high potency products for people who use medical marijuana. Dispensaries must also set aside certain hours where medical patients can exclusively shop or set up a fast lane so they can checkout with their products quicker.
What to expect in the future
There are likely to be a few kinks in the system as Maryland’s market gets up and running. There might be some longer lines or supply shortages, but things are likely to even out over time. Luckily, Maryland has the benefit of following in the footsteps of more than 20 other states that have legalized recreational marijuana and can learn from their mistakes.
