Maryland Marijuana Laws: What's Legal in 2026 (Adult-Use & Medical Guide)

Cannabis is legal in Maryland for adults 21 and over, and for registered medical patients of any age. Adult-use retail sales began July 1, 2023, after Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment the previous fall. The medical program has been operating since 2014. Both are regulated by the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA), the state agency that licenses dispensaries, sets product rules, and enforces the law.

This guide covers the questions Marylanders actually ask: how much you can carry, where you can use it, what driving impaired looks like under state law, whether you can grow at home, what employers can still do, and where you can legally buy. Sources are linked throughout to the MCA and Maryland Code so you can verify anything yourself.

Is weed legal in Maryland?

Yes — with limits, for two distinct groups.

Adults 21 and over can buy, possess, and use cannabis under Maryland's adult-use law. You'll need a valid government-issued ID. Out-of-state IDs are accepted at Maryland dispensaries.

Registered medical patients can access medical cannabis through the same MCA-licensed dispensaries. There's no minimum age for medical patients, but minors require a registered caregiver.

Buying is only legal at MCA-licensed dispensaries. Private sales remain illegal. Gifting cannabis to another adult 21+ is allowed, but only if no money or anything of value changes hands — and only within the personal possession limits.

For dispensary locations and Bloom's Maryland presence, see our Maryland landing page.

When did Maryland legalize marijuana? A quick timeline

• 2014 Maryland establishes its medical cannabis program under the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission, the predecessor agency to today's MCA.

• 2017 The first Maryland medical cannabis dispensaries open.

• November 2022 Maryland voters approve Question 4, a constitutional amendment legalizing adult-use cannabis, with roughly 67% voting yes.

• 2023 The General Assembly passes the Cannabis Reform Act (HB 556 / SB 516), which builds the regulatory framework for adult-use sales, merges medical and adult-use oversight under the new MCA, and provides for expungement of certain past cannabis convictions.

• July 1, 2023 Adult-use retail sales begin. Most existing medical dispensaries become dual-licensed to serve both medical patients and adult-use customers.

• 2025 The General Assembly authorizes on-site consumption lounges, expands expungement protections under SB 432, and legalizes homemade cannabis concentrates within personal-use limits.

• 2026 SB 439, signed in April, provides employment protection for firefighters and rescue workers who use medical cannabis off-duty (effective October 1, 2026).
  
  

Who can buy cannabis in Maryland?

Adult-use customers

You can buy as an adult-use customer if you're 21 or over and present a valid government-issued photo ID — a U.S. driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work. Maryland dispensaries accept out-of-state IDs, so visitors from other states can shop here legally.

Medical patients

Maryland's medical cannabis program is open to patients with a qualifying condition who register with the MCA. Registration involves getting certified by an authorized provider and then enrolling through the MCA patient portal. Patients pay no sales tax on cannabis purchases and have access to higher daily purchase limits and a wider product range than adult-use customers. For the full process, see our guide to getting a Maryland medical cannabis card.

There's no minimum age for medical patients in Maryland, but minors must have a designated caregiver who is also registered with the MCA.

Out-of-state visitors

If you're visiting Maryland from another state, you can buy as an adult-use customer at any MCA-licensed dispensary. Out-of-state medical cards are not honored at Maryland dispensaries — you'd shop on the adult-use side, with the same purchase limits and tax treatment as any other adult-use customer.

How much cannabis can you legally possess in Maryland?

Maryland uses three tiers, defined under the Cannabis Reform Act:

Where can you legally use cannabis in Maryland?

The default rule is straightforward: on private property, with the property owner's permission. Beyond that, it gets specific.

Allowed

• Your own home, or a private residence where the owner has given permission

• Some hotels and short-term rentals — depends entirely on the property's smoke-free policy. Vape pens and edibles are often more accepted than smoking flower.

Not allowed

• Public spaces — sidewalks, parks, beaches, restaurants, bars, sports venues, and the boardwalk. Public consumption is subject to fines.

• Vehicles — no use as driver or passenger, and Maryland's open-container rules apply to cannabis the same way they apply to alcohol.

• Federal property — national parks, federal buildings, military bases, and post offices remain off-limits because cannabis is still federally illegal.

• Workplaces — regardless of state legality, employer drug-free policies still apply.

A note for Ocean City and the Eastern Shore: public consumption rules apply to the boardwalk and the beach the same as they do anywhere else in the state. Legal possession does not mean legal use in public.

Maryland authorized on-site cannabis consumption lounges in 2025, but no licenses have been awarded as of mid-2026. When they open, they'll be the only legal venue for cannabis use outside of private property.

What are Maryland's marijuana DUI laws?

Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal in Maryland, just like driving under the influence of alcohol. State law doesn't set a strict per-se THC blood limit (unlike alcohol's 0.08% BAC standard). Instead, Maryland uses an impairment standard — officers can rely on observed behavior, field sobriety tests, and chemical tests to establish a DUI.

Penalties depend on the circumstances and any prior offenses. They can include fines, license suspension, mandatory substance-abuse evaluation, and jail time for serious or repeat offenses.

Maryland's open-container rule also applies to cannabis: an opened package of cannabis in the passenger area of a vehicle can result in a separate charge, even if no one is impaired.

A detailed guide to Maryland cannabis DUI laws is on our build list for the Maryland learn hub.

Can you grow your own marijuana in Maryland?

Yes — within strict limits set by Md. Code Criminal Law §5-601.2.

The limit is two plants per household, not per person. That cap doesn't change based on the number of adults living at the address. Two roommates at the same residence are still capped at two plants total.

Medical patients registered with the MCA can grow two additional plants beyond the household limit, for a total of four per household. The four-plant cap is also a household maximum — it doesn't scale up if multiple patients share an address.

The rules around home grow:

• You must be 21 or over to grow.

• Plants must be cultivated at your primary residence.

• Plants must be out of public view — not visible from sidewalks, streets, or neighboring properties.

• Plants must be in a locked, secured space that prevents access by anyone under 21.

• If you rent, you need the landlord's permission.

• Selling home-grown cannabis is illegal. Gifting is allowed between adults 21+, no money or trade, and only within the 1.5-ounce possession limit.

Penalties for cultivating beyond the limit are serious — exceeding two plants is a misdemeanor that can carry up to three years in prison and fines up to $5,000.

Do Maryland employers still drug test for marijuana?

Yes, in most cases — and Maryland has no statewide protection for off-duty cannabis use by general workers.

Employers in Maryland can still:

• Test job applicants and employees for cannabis

• Enforce drug-free workplace policies

• Discipline or terminate employees who test positive, even for off-duty use

A few exceptions and recent changes worth knowing:

• Fire and rescue workers using medical cannabis: SB 439, signed in April 2026 and effective October 1, 2026, prohibits employers from disciplining firefighters and other rescue workers solely for a positive cannabis test if they're registered Maryland medical patients.

• Local public employees: Howard County, Baltimore County, Frederick County, and the City of Annapolis have passed local ordinances limiting cannabis-related drug testing for many of their public employees.

• Federally regulated and safety-sensitive positions: CDL holders, transit operators, pilots, and other DOT-covered employees remain subject to federal drug-testing rules that prohibit cannabis use entirely, regardless of state law.

Medical patient status doesn't provide blanket workplace protection in Maryland for the general workforce. The practical takeaway: legal recreational use doesn't equal workplace protection. Know your employer's policy before assuming anything.

Has Maryland expunged past marijuana convictions?

Partially — and the process depends on the case.

Limited automatic expungement applies to records where:

• The only charge was cannabis possession

• The charge was issued before July 1, 2023

• There were no other charges in the case (Maryland's "unit rule")

In those cases, the record is expunged from Maryland's Criminal Justice Information System without you needing to file anything.

For other cases — including possession charges bundled with other offenses, intent-to-distribute charges, and convictions with non-standard dispositions — you'll need to petition for expungement through the court where the case was handled.

The Expungement Reform Act of 2025 (SB 432), signed by Governor Moore in April 2025, expanded protections further. Cannabis convictions that have been pardoned (including those covered under the 2023 executive clemency order) are now automatically shielded from public case search.

Forms are available through the Maryland Judiciary's expungement portal, and free legal help is available through Maryland Legal Aid and the Maryland People's Law Library.

Is delta-8 THC legal in Maryland?

Only when sold by an MCA-licensed dispensary.

In September 2025, the Appellate Court of Maryland ruled in Moore v. Maryland Hemp Coalition that delta-8 and delta-10 THC products sold outside the licensed cannabis system are illegal — and "have always been" under Maryland law. The decision affirmed that intoxicating cannabinoids of any kind can only be lawfully sold through MCA-licensed channels, regardless of whether they're derived from hemp or marijuana.

Translation: the gas-station and smoke-shop delta-8 market is not legal in Maryland. If you want delta-8 products, you can find them at MCA-licensed dispensaries that carry them as part of their regulated product menu.

Where can you legally buy cannabis in Maryland?

Only at MCA-licensed dispensaries. The MCA maintains an official licensee directory where you can verify any Maryland dispensary's license status. Most Maryland dispensaries are dual-licensed, meaning they serve both medical patients and adult-use customers from the same location.

Buying from any unlicensed source — including delivery services that aren't tied to a licensed retailer — is illegal under Maryland law, even if the product itself would be legal if bought through a licensed channel.

If you're in Montgomery County or the surrounding area, Bloom's Germantown dispensary is an MCA-licensed retailer serving Germantown, Boyds, Clarksburg, Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, and Rockville.

Frequently asked questions

Is weed legal in Maryland for tourists?

Yes. Adults 21 and over can buy and possess cannabis as adult-use customers, regardless of state of residence. You'll need a valid government-issued photo ID. Out-of-state medical cards aren't honored — you'd shop on the adult-use side.

Can I take cannabis I bought in Maryland into another state?

No. Transporting cannabis across state lines is a federal offense, even if both states have legal cannabis. Use it before you leave Maryland or leave it behind.

Can I get a Maryland medical card if adult-use is already legal?

Yes, and many people do. Medical patients pay no sales tax on purchases, get access to higher daily purchase limits, can buy higher-potency products, and may have additional product access at dispensaries. Patients also have a separate two-plant home-grow allowance on top of the household limit.

Can my landlord prohibit cannabis use in my apartment?

Often, yes. Maryland law doesn't override private property smoke-free policies. Landlords can include cannabis restrictions in leases, particularly for smoking and vaping. Edibles and tinctures are sometimes treated differently than combustible use. Always check your lease.

What happens if a minor is caught with cannabis in Maryland?

Possession of personal-use amounts by a person under 21 is a civil offense subject to fines and possible substance-abuse referral, not a criminal charge for the first offense. Larger amounts and repeat offenses can carry stricter penalties.

Is CBD treated differently than THC under Maryland law?

Yes. Hemp-derived CBD with less than 0.3% delta-9 THC is broadly legal in Maryland under both federal and state law. THC — including delta-8 and delta-10 — can only be sold through MCA-licensed cannabis channels following the 2025 Appellate Court ruling. For a deeper look at the difference between the two compounds, see our THC vs. CBD guide.

Can I have a cannabis edible with more than 10 mg per dose in Maryland?

Maryland-licensed dispensaries follow strict per-dose limits, and you'll see products clearly labeled with milligrams per piece and milligrams per package. Personal possession is governed by the 750 mg THC total in products, not by per-dose limits. For more on how edibles are dosed, see our guide to cannabis edibles.