Results of a new poll show that the majority of Maryland voters plan to vote “yes” on a ballot measure to legalize adult-use cannabis on Nov. 8.
The Goucher College Poll revealed that 59% of respondents plan to vote in favor of the ballot question on Election Day, while 34% said they would vote against it and 7% are undecided, according to a CBS News report.
The poll, released Sept. 19, surveyed 1,008 Maryland residents from Sept. 8 through Sept. 12, the news outlet reported, and 748 of the respondents identified as likely voters.
In April, the Maryland House and Senate approved a constitutional amendment for the ballot via House Bill 1.
The constitutional amendment will appear before voters as Question 4, which asks: “Do you favor the legalization of the use of cannabis by an individual who is at least 21 years of age on or after July 1, 2023, in the state of Maryland?”
If voters approve the adult-use legalization measure, lawmakers would then determine more specific parameters for the market, such as a business licensing process and tax structure, during next year’s legislative session.
Separately, the General Assembly also passed House Bill 837 this year to allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis, 12 grams of concentrate, 750 milligrams of delta-9 THC or two plants for personal use. H.B. 837 also decriminalized the possession of up to 2.5 ounces as a civil offense rather than a misdemeanor.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan let H.B. 1 and H.B. 837 become law without his signature at the end of this year’s legislative session.