Maryland

(Photo courtesy Flickr.com/gageskidmore)


A bipartisan group of House Democrats and Republicans recently hashed out a $1 trillion budget for government spending, but none of which will be used to crack down on legal pot.
A new government funding bill will block the Department of Justice from using federal funds to prosecute law-abiding medical marijuana companies operating in legal states, reports the Orange County Register.
The budget’s full text of the marijuana provision is as follows:
None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used, with respect to any of the States

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has ordered a study to investigate whether minorities are getting equal opportunities to become involved in the state's growing medical marijuana industry. The disparity study will be initiated by the Governor's Office of Minority Affairs, working in conjunction with the state's medical marijuana commission and transportation department.

The study was ordered in response to lobbying from the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, who have been fighting to ensure equal opportunities in the new industry.

As Maryland's medical marijuana program ramps up, new canna-businesses are preparing the infrastructure to provide cannabis to patients. There are currently around 4,000 patients and 100 caregivers registered to participate in the state's program. While there is currently no way for patients to legally purchase medical marijuana at this time, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission has already awarded 30 preliminary licenses to companies to grow or process marijuana.

One of the companies that received preliminary approval to grow medical cannabis is ForwardGro, who are building a massive greenhouse in Anne Arundel County.