Maryland Medical Marijuana Legislation Passes Two Committees the Same Day
The House Health and Government Operations, as well as the House Judiciary committees in Maryland, both approved House Bill 1101 today, a measure to allow academic medical centers to distribute cannabis to patients. The measure 
would allow certain hospitals to become licensed to participate in medical cannabis studies, where they would supply cannabis to qualified patients, studying its daily effects on them. A cannabis commission of 12 individuals, appointed by the governor, would oversee licensing and regulations.
This is a more conservative approach to the state getting involved in medical cannabis, after a House committee killed a bill earlier this month to allow medical cannabis distribution centers across the state.
According to Maryland’s legislative analysis, the initiative would
This bill allows for the investigational use of marijuana for medical purposes.Specifically, the bill establishes the Medical Marijuana Commission to (1) develop requests for applications for academic medical centers to operate programs in the State; (2) approve or deny initial and renewal program applications; and (3) monitor and oversee programs approved for operation.
The bill now heads to a full House vote, where its passage would send it to the Senate.
The Senate this week approved a measure to decriminalize small amounts of cannabis.
– TheJointBlog