Source: https://www.marijuanadoctors.com/medical-marijuana/md/state-laws/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 06:59:37+00:00

Document:
NOTE: As of January 1st, 2019, administration and oversight of Maryland’ MMJ program has been transferred to the Cannabis Control Commission.
April 08, 2014, House Bill 881, was approved, and signed by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley on April 14, 2014 (effective June 01, 2014).
House Bill 881 tasked the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana Commission, with developing regulations for a patient registry and identification cards, dispensary licensing, settling fees and possession limits. The Commission includes provisions to issue yearly requests for applications from academic medical centers, to operate medical marijuana compassionate use programs.
With effect, June 01, 2016, the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana Commission may issue the number of dispensary licenses, as necessary to see the demand of medical marijuana by Maryland patients and caregivers who have been issued identification cards.
In June 2017, Maryland added to the list of qualifying physicians and nurses that can make a medical marijuana recommendation. The list now includes doctors and nurses who are licensed by the Maryland Board of Nursing, Maryland Board of Physicians, the Podiatrist Medical Examiners, or the Maryland Board of Dental Examiners. Providers must register in order to make medical marijuana recommendations.
“Maryland Medical Cannabis Law” — HOUSE BILL 881 Updated as of September 2015. Section titles are not part of the law. Addendum 1 includes additional provisions enacted in Ch. 403 of 2013, Ch. 256 of 2014, and Ch. 251 of 2015.
Addendum 2 is the text of Criminal Law section § 5-601 relating to the possession of controlled dangerous substances and affirmative defense of medical necessity, and Criminal Law § 5-620 relating to controlled paraphernalia. Article — Health – General.
(4) Is registered with the Commission to make cannabis available to patients for medical use in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission.
(d) “Commission” means the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Cannabis Commission established under this subtitle.
(e) “Dispensary” means an entity licensed under this subtitle that acquires, possesses, processes, transfers, transports, sells, distributes, dispenses, or administers cannabis, products containing cannabis, related supplies, related products containing cannabis including food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments, or educational materials for use by a qualifying patient or caregiver.
(f) “Dispensary agent” means an owner, a member, an employee, a volunteer, an officer, or a director of a dispensary.
(g) “Fund” means the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Cannabis Commission Fund established under § 13-3303 of this subtitle.
(h) “Grower” means an entity licensed under this subtitle that: (1) (i) Cultivates, manufactures, processes, packages, or dispenses medical cannabis; or (ii) Processes medical cannabis products; and (2) Is authorized by the Commission to provide cannabis to a qualifying patient, caregiver, processor, dispensary, or independent testing laboratory.
(i) “Independent testing laboratory” means a facility, an entity, or a site that offers or performs tests related to the inspection and testing of cannabis and products containing cannabis.
(j) “Medical cannabis grower agent” means an owner, an employee, a volunteer, an officer, or a director of a grower. (k) “Processor” means an entity that: (1) Transforms medical cannabis into another product or extract; and (2) Packages and labels medical cannabis.
(l) “Processor agent” means an owner, a member, an employee, a volunteer, an officer, or a director of a processor.
(m) “Qualifying patient” means an individual who: (1) Has been provided with a written certification by a certifying physician in accordance with a bona fide physician-patient relationship; and (2) If under the age of 18 years, has a caregiver. (n) “Written certification” means a certification that: (1) Is issued by a certifying physician to a qualifying patient with whom the physician has a bona fide physician-patient relationship; and (2) Includes a written statement certifying that, in the physician’s professional opinion, after having completed an assessment of the patient’s medical history and current medical condition, the patient has a condition: (i) That meets the inclusion criteria and does not meet the exclusion criteria of the certifying physician’s application; and (ii) For which the potential benefits of the medical use of cannabis would likely outweigh the health risks for the patient; and (3) May include a written statement certifying that, in the physician’s professional opinion, a 30-day supply of medical cannabis would be inadequate to meet the medical needs of the qualifying patient.
HISTORY: 2013, ch. 43, § 5; ch. 403; 2014, chs. 44, 240, 256; 2015, ch. 251. § 13-3302. Commission established; purpose and duties, identification cards, Web site.
(a) There is a Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Cannabis Commission.
(xi) One representative of the University of Maryland Extension; and (xii) One representative of the Office of the Comptroller. (b)(1) The term of a member is 4 years.
(2) The terms of the members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members on October 1, 2013.
(3) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(4) A member may not serve more than three consecutive full terms.
(5) A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(c) The Governor shall designate the chair from among the members of the Commission. (d) A majority of the full authorized membership of the Commission is a quorum.
(e) A member of the Commission: (1) May not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but (2) Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.
(f) The Commission may employ a staff, including contractual staff, in accordance with the State budget.
(g) The Commission may set reasonable fees to cover the costs of operating the Commission.
(ii) Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund, in accordance with any conditions adopted by the Commission for the acceptance of donations or gifts to the Fund; and (iii) Any fees collected by the Commission under this subtitle. (9) No part of the Fund may revert or be credited to: (i) The General Fund of the State; or (ii) Any other special fund of the State.
(10) Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.
HISTORY: 2013, ch. 403; 2014, chs. 240, 256; 2015, ch. 251. § 13-3304. Certifying physician registration, registration requirements, medical conditions, physician compensation, procedures.
(a) The Commission shall register as a certifying physician an individual who: (1) Meets the requirements of this subtitle; and (2) Submits application materials that meet the requirements of this subtitle.
(b) To be registered as a certifying physician, a physician shall submit a proposal to the Commission that includes: (1) The reasons for including a patient under the care of the physician for the purposes of this subtitle, including the patient’s qualifying medical conditions; (2) An attestation that a standard patient evaluation will be completed, including a history, a physical examination, a review of symptoms, and other pertinent medical information; and (3) The physician’s plan for the ongoing assessment and follow-up care of a patient and for collecting and analyzing data.
4. Seizures; or 5. Severe or persistent muscle spasms.
(2) The Commission may not limit treatment of a particular medical condition to one class of physicians.
(e) The Commission may approve applications that include any other condition that is severe and for which other medical treatments have been ineffective if the symptoms reasonably can be expected to be relieved by the medical use of cannabis.
(f) (1) A certifying physician or the spouse of a certifying physician may not receive any gifts from or have an ownership interest in a medical cannabis grower, a processor, or a dispensary. (2) A certifying physician may receive compensation from a medical cannabis grower, a processor, or dispensary if the certifying physician: (i) Obtains the approval of the Commission before receiving the compensation; and (ii) Discloses the amount of compensation received from the medical cannabis grower, processor, or dispensary to the Commission.
(g) (1) A qualifying patient may be a patient of the certifying physician or may be referred to the certifying physician. (2) A certifying physician shall provide each written certification to the Commission. (3) On receipt of a written certification provided under paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Commission shall issue an identification card to each qualifying patient or caregiver named in the written certification. (4) A certifying physician may discuss medical cannabis with a patient. (5) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a qualifying patient or caregiver may obtain medical cannabis only from a medical cannabis grower licensed by the Commission or a dispensary licensed by the Commission. (ii) A qualifying patient under the age of 18 years may obtain medical cannabis only through the qualifying patient’s caregiver. (6) (i) A caregiver may serve no more than five qualifying patients at any time. (ii) A qualifying patient may have no more than two caregivers. (h) (1) A certifying physician may register biennially.
(2) The Commission shall grant or deny a renewal of a registration for approval based on the physician’s performance in complying with regulations adopted by the Commission.
HISTORY: 2014, chs. 240, 256; 2015, chs. 22, 251.
Maryland has a mandatory minimum sentences for Repeat offenders who have been convicted of possession to distribute on 2 or more occasions (2 years).
Possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute in a school vehicle, or in, on, or within 1,000 feet of real property owned by or leased to an elementary school or secondary school, is a felony and is punishable by, for a first violation, imprisonment not exceeding 20 years and a fine not exceeding $20,000, and for each subsequent violation, imprisonment not less than 5 years and not exceeding 40 years and a fine not exceeding $40,000. These penalties are in addition to any other conviction.
Repeat offenders who have previously been convicted of possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 ft. of a school on 2 or more occasions (5 years).
If an individual is found to be a “drug kingpin” (an organizer, supervisor, financier, or manager who acts as a co-conspirator in a conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, dispense, transport in, or bring into the State a controlled dangerous substance), and dealt with more than 50 lbs. of marijuana, then they are guilty of a felony and subject to imprisonment for not less than 20 years and not exceeding 40 years without the possibility of parole and a fine not exceeding $1,000,000.
* Any offender who is in possession of a firearm at the time of arrest, will be charged with trafficking marijuana into Maryland, carrying a sentence of 10 years.
Under Maryland law, paraphernalia includes all equipment and materials used in the use, manufacture, or distribution of marijuana. This includes all agricultural materials used in the growing process, including electronic equipment and typical gardening supplies, such as lights, fertilizer, and top soil. §5-101 also includes under its definition items such as scales, plastic bags, and others used in the distribution process. Hash bubble sacks are paraphernalia. These items are joined by the typical forms of paraphernalia involved in the ingestion of marijuana, including pipes, bongs, and roach clips. Rolling papers and blunt wraps are not included under the statutory definition.
If a person is convicted of selling paraphernalia, then they are guilty of a misdemeanor and can be sentenced, for a first violation, a fine not exceeding $500, and for each subsequent violation, imprisonment not exceeding 2 years and a fine not exceeding $2,000.
If a person is caught in possession of paraphernalia and marijuana, then they are guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year and a fine not exceeding $1,000.
If an adult delivers drug paraphernalia to a minor who is at least 3 years younger than the person, the person is guilty of a separate misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 8 years and a fine not exceeding $15,000.
Advertising the distribution of paraphernalia is a misdemeanor and can be punished, for a first violation, with a fine not exceeding $500, and for each subsequent violation, with imprisonment for not exceeding 2 years and a fine not exceeding $2,000.
10 g. – 50 lbs.
In a school vehicle, or in, on, or within 1,000 feet of an elementary or secondary school.
* Subsequent offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years.
5 kg. – 45 kg.
In possession of a firearm while trafficking.
To a minor who is at least 3 years younger.
Advertising the distribution of paraphernalia.

References: § 5
 § 5
 § 13
 § 5
 § 13
 § 13
 §5