A hearing for the Maryland Medical Marijuana Act has not been scheduled to date, but when the time comes, the act is certain to create a buzz in our state capital. Although Governor O’Malley stated publically last year that he would veto any medical use laws, he has not reiterated this stance in 2013 as of yet, and supporters of the bill remain cautiously optimistic that the act will eventually pass. Another bill that is certain to create a buzz on the floor is a proposed ban against synthetic marijuana. This substance has become increasingly controversial as thousands of emergency calls are placed each year to poison control or the police as a result of ingesting the chemicals it contains. Although various cities such as Frederick have already passed ordinances banning the sale of the popular pot alternative, there are no county or state laws that address the substance commonly known as spice. The federal government has banned certain chemicals sound in the original synthetic marijuana blends, but those chemicals have frequently been modified and tweaked to avoid the laws. But in reality, only federal law enforcement officers and assistant U.S. attorneys have the absolute power to make arrests and prosecute these cases. A possible state law would list the specific chemicals in the state code, so that cops and state prosecutors would be able handle these types of cases without any confusion created by conflicting laws. Politicians and health officials alike have frequently spoken out about the detrimental effects of synthetic marijuana, and now it seems that the 2013 legislative session will likely bring a statewide ban to the governor’s desk.
The Baltimore Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog will keep close tabs on the 2013 legislative session, and will make additional posts as more news comes out of Annapolis in the coming weeks. For questions about a pending criminal case or investigation in Maryland, contact Benjamin Herbst anytime for a free consultation.