Could Maryland Be The Next State To Make Cannabis Legal?
Almost two-thirds of Maryland residents want recreational cannabis to be legalized in their state, according to polling released in 2016. In response, Maryland legislators are implying they could possibly react to this clear mandate in the the way almost every other lawmaker in America has done, by telling the people to go ahead and make their own law, if that’s truly what they want.
As the Baltimore Sun recently reported, some Maryland legislators are pushing for the legalization of cannabis to be decided by a citizens’ referendum. This could happen as early as next year. If it happens, it seems a near-lock to pass: 61% of likely voters support the legalization, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll. For some people in charge, this is a clear message that “it’s a matter of when” marijuana legalization happens, as state delegate David Moon, one of the main supporters behind deciding legalization by citizens’ referendum, put it. Moon stated, “It’s become very clear that this is no longer a fringe issue. It’s totally mainstream.”
Yes, legalization may be mainstream among voters, however, not among legislators. This is still a dicey subject that the state’s elected officials will need strong convincing that passing off hard decisions like legalization to voters is a good idea. Even this step will be a hard sell. As the Sun reported, there are more than a few shot-callers in Maryland’s state house who aren’t convinced that letting the people give themselves what they want is a good idea. House Speaker Michael E. Busch stated, “It would be unwise for us to go down that path at this time, even before we have medical marijuana up and running,” using the state’s new medical-cannabis program as an excuse.
There are some legitimate reasons why Maryland state delegates would want to impose legalization off on voters rather than be the ones responsible for giving the people what they want and passing a popular law themselves. One is that legislators tend to be more conservative than the voters they represent. Supporting the legalization of cannabis will annoy law enforcement, and losing the support of police is still seen as an existential threat in a state legislature. Another is to boost turnout. Having legalization on the ballot in Colorado in 2012 is credited with helping Barack Obama win that state. Maryland Democrats want to toss out their Republican governor, and marijuana could be the way to do that.
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