Maryland’s legal weed launch: Here’s the details

It ain’t just the summertime humidity: the air in Maryland is about to get extra sticky.

Starting July 1, adults can start buying legal cannabis in the Old Line State. Nearly one hundred existing medical marijuana providers across Maryland may offer flower, edibles, vapes and more to anyone over the age of 21.

While Maryland officials have put in the work to ensure that the shift to recreational cannabis goes as smoothly as possible, residents and visitors alike have plenty of questions. 

Rest assured, Leafly’s got what you need. Read on to learn more about possession limits in Maryland, the word on hot stores, what’s for sale and much more.

When will weed be legal in Maryland?

Saturday—July, 1, 2023.

Currently operating medical dispensaries will begin selling to adult customers on July 1. Opening hours will vary.

Maryland will additionally begin to approve new licenses starting this summer. The state will reserve the first round of licenses for social equity applicants. Look out for new stores and brands coming soon!

How much weed is legal in Maryland?

Consumers can rejoice in knowing that Maryland law offers very reasonable limits on possession.

Got up to 1.5 ounces? You’re fully in the clear. If you’re stopped by law enforcement with 1.5 to 2.5 ounces, the state will subject you solely to a $100 fine. Possession of more than 2.5 ounces may result in arrest.

Adults can additionally possess up to 12 grams of hash.

Medical patients retain even more lenient possession rights: 120 grams of pot, and/or 36 grams of hash.

Maryland also permits adults to grow up to two plants per residence—not two plants per adult. In keeping with other states’ laws, these plants cannot be visible to the public. Medical patients can grow four plants instead of two.

The possession of drug paraphernalia will also become legal on July 1, but selling, distributing or advertising may result in a $500 fine.

Here’s more good news: Maryland prohibits law enforcement from using the odor of weed, as well as the suspicion of possession, as probable cause to search your car. 

Don’t forget: Unlike its northerly neighbor, New York, Maryland prohibits public consumption. You can get slapped with a $50 fine for a first offense, and more for repeated offenses.

Maryland dispensary rules

Dispensaries will need to play by the rules set out in Maryland law.

For the time being, only existing medical providers will have a green-light to sell recreational weed.

Those businesses will ID customers to make sure they’re old enough to enter. They will also need to track and trace sales.

Shops cannot advertise with outdoor signs. They can’t appeal to minors, or advertise with cartoons, pets, kids, or candy. You can’t smoke, vape, dab, or drink in a shop. State law also prohibits nudity in Maryland pot shops. You’re beautiful, Maryland, but…fair enough.

How much does weed cost in Maryland per gram, eighth, and ounce?

Looking at Leafly menus, we see grams ranging from $8 to $15 and eighth-ounces of flower going for $25 to $50. We’ve seen some solid discounts on half ounces, too: $100 to $120. 

Don’t forget to factor in a 9% sales tax into your purchase as well.

Where to buy weed in Maryland

We expect about 94 stores will open their doors to rec customers on Saturday, July 1—making Maryland one of the bigger state launches in US history. 

On June 16, the Maryland Cannabis Administration published a handy list of those 94 stores eligible to serve all adults 21+ with I.D. 

The lion’s share of adult-use stores will open in and around Baltimore, but other cities, from the capital of Annapolis to the DC suburbs of Silver Spring, as well as smaller towns, will open their doors to rec customers, too.

You can peruse that list of stores here.

What’s for sale in newly legal Maryland?

Look, we gotta hand it to Maryland: They’ve got a pretty sophisticated market and refined tastes. Baltimore ranks as a top US weed city, and the state’s mature medical industry continuously knocks it out of the park. 

Don’t believe us? The data speakers for itself. Top strains in Maryland include Gelato Cake, Spritzer, and Apple Fritter. 

Customers can lay their hands on a wide selection of vapes, edibles, concentrates, tinctures and topicals, too.

Read more in our Maryland legalization shopping guide Tuesday.

Does Maryland have legal cannabis delivery?

Yes, but only for medical cannabis patients, for the time being. Use it to scoop up your favorite flower before the next guy does.

How will the launch of adult-use sales affect Maryland medical marijuana patients?

Every store must “ensure that it has adequate supply” for medical patients, and either offer exclusive hours for patients to shop, or dedicated service lines for them.

Will supplies hold up?

We don’t think so. Demand usually outpaces supply when state markets launch. The fact that Maryland has several neighboring states with no legal sales (Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware) suggest even more demand than the average launch.

Use order ahead, pickup, and delivery (medical-only) to beat the rush. Give yourself time to wait in line and enjoy some history. We expect high demand to continue amid limited supplies for several months at a minimum.

What are some good stores to check out?

Baltimore’s Blair Wellness and Ethos Dispensary both got shout-outs from locals when we asked around. Goldleaf in Annapolis, Waave in Greenbelt and Green Point Wellness in Laurel all rank among Marylanders’ favorite shops on Leafly.

What are Maryland’s weed taxes?

Maryland levies a 9% sales tax on all cannabis products—the same rate they use for alcohol. Cities and counties cannot add local taxes.

What’s the latest with expungements and equity licenses in Maryland?

The process is underway. House Bill 837—one of the two legalization bills that Maryland lawmakers passed in advance of the state’s legalization vote—stipulates that officials must expunge all possession charges in the state (in cases where possession was the sole charge) by July 1, 2024.

Maryland will reserve the first round of new licenses for social equity applicants. 

Stores must reserve at least 25% of shelf space for social equity brands.

Can Maryland cities opt out of sales? 

Maryland cannot prevent existing dispensaries from becoming dual license—adult-use and medical marijuana—businesses.

Does Maryland have weed lounges?

Not yet, but officials will eventually green-light up to fifty on-site consumption licenses.