Four Reasons why Maryland needs a new Medical Marijuana Law
In 2013, Maryland passed a Medical Marijuana bill that created a commission to establish regulations for medical marijuana. Nearly everyone agrees that the bill was a loser before it left the gate. A year later, and the Maryland Medical Marijuana Commission admits it will not have regulations ready until 2015.
In 2014, the Maryland legislature is revisiting its failed Medical Marijuana law. In this new attempt to allow Marylanders to possess and use marijuana for medical condition, our law makers are wisely proposing a Medical Marijuana policy on successful programs from other states like California and Oregon.
It is likely that this new legislation will do away with the failed Institutional model currently in place and substitute it for a more dispersed doctor-patient-dispensary-grower model. The current policy only allows teaching hospitals to operate MMJ programs.
Four Reasons why Maryland Needs a new Medical Marijuana Law
A new medical marijuana law will help patients, doctors, farmers and entrepreneurs.
- Doctors can provide patients with additional treatment options.
- Patients can safely and legally access their medicine.
- Farmers can grow a new crop and use either farm land or indoor industrial spaces to grow America’s number one cash crop.
- Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to invest money in buildings, marketing, supplies, and equipment to provide MMJ to patients with prescriptions. The medical marijuana business is booming in other states and there is money to be made. That means JOBS are coming!
Unfortunately the bill has not yet passed, and there may be opposition in the legislature. The final hurdle is whether the Governor agrees the time is right to move forward with a more sensible medical marijuana policy. We will wait to see, but many Marylanders are excited by these future prospects!
Here’s a recent article from the Baltimore Sun on the issue: