Maryland lawmakers establish rules for the sale of recreational marijuana
BALTIMORE -- The 2023 Maryland General Assembly established rules for recreational sale of cannabis on Saturday, according to WJZ's media partner the Baltimore Banner.
Under the new rules, people who are age 21 and older will be able to buy recreational cannabis in Maryland on July 1.
The legislation also addresses commerce-related issues such as the number and types of cannabis business licenses that will be available. It sets the amount of sales tax those businesses must charge, too, the Baltimore Banner reports.
Additionally, it established a framework for government oversight, according to the Baltimore Banner.
The legislative action comes after voters passed a ballot referendum that legalized cannabis in Maryland's constitution in November.
The new cannabis rules won't be official until Gov. Wes Moore signs the bill into law.
Currently, 19 states, along with the District of Columbia, have fully legalized marijuana. There also are 37 states, including Maryland, that have legalized medical marijuana. Maryland currently has about 150,000 registered cannabis patients.