Maryland Might Get Marijuana

House Bill 1101, which has already passed in the House has continued to move forward through Maryland’s Judicial Proceedings Committee into the second reading for the Senate. The plan is for HB 1101 to launch the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana Commission to open a medical marijuana program for academic medical research centers.

This research-focused program would empower state-licensed medical marijuana patients to grow their own healing herbs. Ultimately the academic medical centers would regulate medical funding, treatment and dosage, while monitoring the medicinal benefits and clinical outcome data for at least one year.

The downside is this commission could only license 5 medical marijuana growers for each academic program. Due to federal foot-draggers, when and if HR 1101 becomes law, patients will be able to participate in the medical marijuana program around the summer of 2015. HR 1101 is one of 3 medical marijuana bills being considered by Maryland lawmakers this session.