Maryland Lawmakers Plan To Legalize Marijuana For Recreational Use!
In a referendum held in November, residents of Maryland approved the use of recreational marijuana by those over the age of 21. Over two-thirds (67%) of those polled agreed that marijuana use for recreational purposes should be permitted.
Right now, it’s up to legislators in Annapolis to hash out the specifics of putting the bill into effect. Over the course of Friday, eighty people joined up to share their thoughts on the matter. Several state legislators and residents want guarantees that minorities will not be excluded from the medicinal Marijuana sector again after many were previously denied access.
Prince George’s County Delegate Darry Barnes asked, “How can we really assure that we’re really talking about fairness and inclusion and getting more minorities to engage in yet another billion-dollar sector coming before the state of Maryland?”
Kevin Ford Jr., from the Uplift Action Fund, emphasized the importance of giving those “disproportionally impacted by cannabis illegality” a chance to join the sector. Some in favor of the law have pointed to the reduced application fees as a benefit to startups and smaller businesses.
Supporters have assured the public that the new application procedure will be far less cumbersome, with only 25 questions instead of the current 147. Advocates argued before the Economic Matters Committee that greater technical support will be made available to ensure that smaller applications would not be disadvantaged by larger corporations who could afford to retain more costly lawyers.
The bill’s proponent, Delaware State Representative C.T. Wilson, explained, “We’ve capped the number of licenses that the individuals can have.” “Our aim is to prevent any single entity from seizing control of the market. We’d like locals and people from the state to be able to get licenses here.”
There are more than eighty pages of proposed regulations in Bill 556. It suggests changing the name of the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission “to be the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission; establishing a regulating and licensing structure for adult-use cannabis.”
Nonetheless, there are worries regarding enforcement because minor drug offenses have generally been penalized more harshly in Black areas. “They are not, however, law enforcement personnel. On the other hand, they aren’t actively searching for children, “When asked who would be responsible for carrying it out, Del. Wilson stated the following.
“These rules are meant to keep companies in check. It’s pointless to issue licenses that can’t generate revenue if we don’t back them up with the authority to do so. Unfortunately, the minority-owned firms we’re cultivating won’t succeed.”The Association of Builders and Contractors, which represents tens of thousands of construction businesses, is pushing for the right to randomly test employees for impairment.
Joe Xavier, the senior director of health and safety for the organization, said, “One miscommunication, one misjudgment, one inch, one second can be the difference between a routine day and a horrible fatality.” “Construction firms must have the latitude and resources to implement policies, methods, and instruments that protect the health and well-being of their employees on the job.”
