Read more about the article MD Released Proposed Emergency Regs for the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund
Cannabis / County News / Health and Human Services / Summer Conference
MD Released Proposed Emergency Regs for the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund

Proposed emergency regulations for Maryland's Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund offer counties long-awaited guidance on how cannabis tax revenue can support local priorities. The Maryland Department of Social and Economic Mobility (DoSEM), through its Office of Social Equity (OSE), has released proposed emergency regulations for the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF), providing counties with additional guidance for how cannabis tax revenue can be used to support local priorities. Created under the Cannabis Reform Act…

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June 30, 2026
Read more about the article State Collects $26.2M in Quarterly Cannabis Taxes, Locals Receive $342K
Cannabis / County Budgets / County News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
State Collects $26.2M in Quarterly Cannabis Taxes, Locals Receive $342K

Maryland collected more than $26.2 million in cannabis sales tax revenue during the first quarter of 2026. Local governments received $341,990. That amount represents the entire local government share of Maryland’s cannabis tax distribution. Counties initially receive those funds, but State law requires them to distribute 50% of the allocation to municipalities that host cannabis dispensaries that generate the revenue. As a result, counties retain less than the already modest local share. The State imposes…

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June 17, 2026
Read more about the article DOJ Moves to Loosen Cannabis Restrictions, Signals Shift Toward Rescheduling
Cannabis / Health and Human Services / Planning and Zoning / Taxes and Revenues
DOJ Moves to Loosen Cannabis Restrictions, Signals Shift Toward Rescheduling

The US Department of Justice announced a significant shift in federal cannabis policy, moving to loosen restrictions on certain cannabis products while advancing a broader effort to reclassify the drug under federal law. The action does not legalize cannabis nationwide. But it marks one of the most consequential federal moves in decades. It could reshape how the industry operates, particularly in states like Maryland that already allow medical and adult-use sales. As previously covered on…

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April 24, 2026
Read more about the article Q2 Cannabis Revenues Top $18M, Counties Get Less Than $430K
Source: Comptroller of Maryland
Cannabis / Taxes and Revenues
Q2 Cannabis Revenues Top $18M, Counties Get Less Than $430K

Adult-use cannabis sales in Maryland generated more than $18 million in tax revenue during the second quarter of 2025. Yet counties, which shoulder the brunt of zoning, public safety, and health responsibilities tied to cannabis businesses, saw only a fraction of those dollars flow back into local budgets. Maryland taxes adult-use cannabis at 9%, rising to 12% on July 1 under legislation passed during the 2025 General Assembly session. But only a small share —…

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September 8, 2025
Read more about the article #MACoCon Recap: Balancing Public Safety and Employee Rights in the Cannabis Era
Cannabis / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Summer Conference
#MACoCon Recap: Balancing Public Safety and Employee Rights in the Cannabis Era

Since the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Maryland, the conversation around workplace policies has only intensified, especially for public sector employers managing safety-sensitive roles. At MACo’s Summer Conference, a panel of human resources, legal, labor, and public safety leaders unpacked the complex and often conflicting forces shaping local government policy in this evolving space. Tom Coe, Fire Chief for Frederick County’s Division of Fire and Rescue Services, opened with a reality check on what cannabis…

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August 20, 2025
Read more about the article Up in Smoke? Balancing Public Safety and Employee Rights in the Cannabis Era 
Cannabis / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor / Summer Conference
Up in Smoke? Balancing Public Safety and Employee Rights in the Cannabis Era 

As legal cannabis use becomes more common, local governments are caught navigating evolving workplace rights and public safety responsibilities. With no clear test for impairment and increasing legislative pressure, counties must find a path forward that protects both their workforce and their communities. Since Maryland voters approved adult-use cannabis legalization in 2022 and retail sales launched in 2023, the implications for employers, especially public sector employers, have rapidly evolved. While cannabis use is now legal…

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August 4, 2025
Read more about the article Governor Calls for New Site Search for Cannabis Incubator Project
Cannabis / County News / News You Can Use
Governor Calls for New Site Search for Cannabis Incubator Project

Catonsville Armory site scrapped amid local pushback. Governor Wes Moore this week scrapped plans to locate a first-in-the-nation cannabis incubator at the Catonsville Armory in Baltimore County, directing state agencies to begin a new search for a more suitable site. The incubator will support social equity micro-licensees — small businesses led by individuals whom the cannabis industry has historically excluded — with technical assistance, programming, and workspace. The project is a significant component of Maryland's…

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July 2, 2025
Read more about the article Q1 Cannabis Revenue Update: Millions to State, Pennies to Counties
Cannabis / Taxes and Revenues
Q1 Cannabis Revenue Update: Millions to State, Pennies to Counties

The Maryland Comptroller’s Office reported $17.5 million in tax revenue from adult-use cannabis sales during the first quarter of 2025. The Central Region — including Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, and Howard counties — led all regions in collections, contributing nearly $8 million. Maryland currently taxes adult-use cannabis at 9%, but beginning July 1, that rate will rise to 12% under legislation passed during the 2025 General Assembly session. But only a…

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June 18, 2025
Read more about the article MACo Working to Ensure Local Autonomy Over Cannabis Events
Business Affairs / Cannabis / MACo Testimony
MACo Working to Ensure Local Autonomy Over Cannabis Events

On January 30, Associate Director of Policy Karrington Anderson testified before the Finance Committee in support of SB 215 - Cannabis - On-site Consumption Establishment and Cannabis Events with amendments. This bill allows the holder of a cannabis event registration to host certain cannabis events and authorizes counties to assess fees, authorize events, or restrict them within their jurisdictions. MACo requested modest clarifying amendments to preserve local authority and ensure effective oversight. The bill should…

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February 3, 2025
Read more about the article MD Dept of Health Launches Cannabis Public Health Dashboard
Cannabis / County News / Health and Human Services
MD Dept of Health Launches Cannabis Public Health Dashboard

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) has launched the Maryland Cannabis Public Health Data Dashboard. The dashboard is designed to monitor and visualize cannabis-related public health trends. This tool provides a user-friendly and comprehensive view of cannabis-related trends, enabling policymakers, public health professionals, and residents to better understand the implications of adult-use cannabis legalization. The dashboard tracks key indicators such as: Emergency department visits Youth and adult cannabis use Calls to Maryland and D.C. Poison…

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November 18, 2024
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