The Maryland General Assembly, during its 2023 session, approved legalization of recreational use of cannabis for adults 21-and-over. The law went into effect on July 1, but many residents still have questions about details in the law. Among the most common questions refer to being able to use cannabis in public areas and how its use can lead to impaired driving.
Smoking cannabis (and hemp) is prohibited in any public place. This includes outdoor spaces and indoor spaces open to the public including parks, streets and sidewalks, bars and restaurants, public transportation (e.g, buses, vans, trains, taxicabs, limousines) and indoor places of employment. Because cannabis remains illegal at the Federal level, a person may not possess cannabis on any Federal property, such as national park.
Using cannabis while driving (by a driver or passenger) and impaired driving remains illegal under Maryland law. Law enforcement officers can make a cannabis DUI arrest if they observe impairment using a standard field sobriety testing (roadside test) method.
Answers to more questions about recreational cannabis use in Maryland can be found at Adult-Use Cannabis FAQs (maryland.gov).
