Maryland voters overwhelmingly approve Question 4 (67.20% Yes) to legalize adult-use cannabis

On November 8, 2022, Maryland voters approved Question 4, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, by a vote of 67.20% Yes (1,303,267 votes) to 32.80% No (636,002 votes). Passing in 23 of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions, the 67.20% result edged out New Jersey’s 2020 mark (67.08%) to set an all-time high percentage for a statewide recreational cannabis ballot measure.

What took effect in Maryland on July 1, 2023

Companion legislation passed in 2022 (HB 837) and a 2023 regulatory framework bill established Maryland’s rules starting July 1, 2023:

• Personal possession: Adults 21 and older may possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis flower, 12 grams of concentrated cannabis, or cannabis products containing up to 750 milligrams of delta-9 THC.
• Home cultivation: Households may grow up to 2 cannabis plants (or up to 4 plants if a registered medical cannabis patient resides in the home), kept out of public view and secure from unauthorized access.
• Simultaneous retail launch: By allowing existing licensed medical dispensaries to pay a conversion fee and serve adult-use customers, Maryland opened nearly 100 licensed recreational dispensaries on the very first day of legalization, July 1, 2023, generating over $87 million in first-month sales.

Photo: Adobe Stock. Contextual stock: Maryland State House in Annapolis, November 16, 2021; not a photograph of the 2022 vote.