Maryland

How does your state measure up when it comes to establishing policies that reduce the harms of both drug use and drug prohibition?

Harm Reduction

Does the state permit access to clean syringes for people who inject drugs?

  • YES

Does the state have legal naloxone distribution to prevent overdose deaths?

  • YES

Does the state have a 911 Good Samaritan law?

  • NO

Does the state have legal methadone access?

  • YES

Marijuana

Are marijuana possession and use legal for medical purposes?

  • NO

What are the criminal penalties for marijuana possession?

Criminal Justice

How many people are arrested for a drug offense each year? 

  • 51,261

What are the racial disparities in arrest rates?

  • Total population (2010): 58.2% white, 29.4% black.
    Arrests: 35.7% white, 64.3% black.

What happens to people’s voting rights when they become part of the criminal justice system?

  • Voting rights restored upon completion of sentence, including prison, parole and probation.

Maryland Enacts Law Allowing Academic Studies of Medical Marijuana

New Law Unlikely to Provide Patients Access to Medicine Absent Changes in Federal Policy

Statement from Drug Policy Alliance's Amanda Reiman

Today, Maryland enacted a law allowing approved academic research institutions in that state to establish investigational, research-oriented medical marijuana studies.  Unlike 18 other states that have adopted medical marijuana laws that allow patients to obtain medical marijuana by growing it themselves or purchasing it from state-licensed businesses, Maryland’s law requires that patients obtain their medicine only from a limited number of research hospitals approved to conduct medical marijuana research.

Contact: Amanda Reiman 510-730-2811

Law Atlas map of states with Good Samaritan laws

This in an online interactive resource for visualizing the states with Good Samaritan laws.

View the map.
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