Marijuana Bill Would Decriminalize Pot
Del. Curt Anderson, D-Baltimore, sees the measure as a way to increase state revenue through means other than taxation.
By Ethan Rosenburg for Capital News Service In the wake of votes to legalize marijuana in several states, a Maryland lawmaker has introduced legislation aimed at decriminalizing pot, regulating sales to adults 21 and older and allowing home growing in limited quantity. Del. Curt Anderson, D-Baltimore, who introduced HB 1453 on Thursday, sees the measure as a way to increase state revenue through means other than taxation. Decriminalizing marijuana, Anderson said, would relieve the financial burden on the criminal justice system from prosecuting possession charges and would save defendants from receiving criminal records. The state would collect a $50 excise tax per ounce of marijuana sold wholesale. Residents who wish to grow marijuana …
