Question 4 was a voter referendum to amend the Constitution of Maryland in order to legalize cannabis for adult use in Maryland. The referendum was approved overwhelmingly, with more than twice as many voters voting in favor of it than against it and winning in all but one county, on November 8, 2022. It went into effect on July 1, 2023.

Ballot measure The ballot measure read as follows:

The choices read as follows:

History On July 16, 2021, State House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones created a committee to draft a referendum on legalization to place on the ballot in 2022. Around December 25, the chairman of the state House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Workgroup, Luke Clippinger, pre-filed House Bill 1 for the 2022 session, to initiate the citizen referendum in 2022 that would create a constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis. The referendum bill and accompanying bill implementing legalization, House Bill 837 received public testimony and were discussed by the House Judiciary Committee on February 14, 2022. House Bill 1 was passed 96–34 by the House of Delegates on February 25.Constitutional Amendment - Cannabis - Adult Use and Possession (HB0001) history, Maryland legislature official website, accessed February 25, 2022 This bill was contingent on passage of the ballot referendum in the November 2022 election, whereby it would legalize recreational use of cannabis possession and use on or after July 1, 2023. The constitutional referendum and the legalization bill were both passed by the Maryland Senate on April 1. Senate Finance Committee hearings on the bills began on March 23.

Voters approved the referendum on November 8, 2022, with 67.2% of voters and 23 of 24 counties and county-equivalents (all but Garrett County) in favor. It fully took effect on July 1, 2023.

Provisions The bill provides for adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to of marijuana and decriminalize possession of amounts greater than that up to . This bill would also establish a Cannabis Business Assistance Fund to support equity initiatives for minority- and women-owned businesses. That fund would go toward incubator and educational programs to promote participation in the industry by people most impacted by criminalization. The bill would also automatically expunge prior criminal convictions for conduct made legal under the proposed law.

Between January 1 and July 1, 2023, possession of up to 1.5 ounces was to be a civil infraction subject to a $100 fine, as provided by House Bill 837.

Opinion polls On Question 4 Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Yes No Other UndecidedOpinionWorksOpinionWorksOctober 20–23, 2022989 (LV)± 3.1%63%25%–12%University of MarylandUniversity of MarylandSeptember 22–27, 2022810 (RV)± 4.0%73%23%–4%Victoria ResearchVictoria ResearchSeptember 11–19, 2022762 (RV)± 3.7%69%20%2%8%Goucher CollegeGoucher CollegeSeptember 8–12, 2022748 (LV)± 3.6%59%34%–7%

On whether recreational marijuana should be legal Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Yes No Other UndecidedGoucher CollegeGoucher CollegeMarch 1–6, 2022635 (A)± 3.9%62%34%1%3%Goucher CollegeGoucher CollegeOctober 14–20, 2021700 (A)± 3.7%60%33%3%4%Gonzales Research (D)Gonzales Research (D)May 17–22, 2021301 (LV)± 5.8%69%24%7%–Goucher CollegeGoucher CollegeFebruary 23–28, 2021725 (A)± 3.6%67%28%1%4%

Results

Source: Maryland State Board of Elections

By county

+Breakdown of voting by countyCountyYesNoMarginTotal Votes#%#%#%Allegany11,97358.0%8,68342.0%3,29015.9%20,656Anne Arundel137,46165.4%72,57934.6%64,88230.9%210,040Baltimore City111,22778.9%29,71821.1%81,50957.8%140,945Baltimore176,35866.4%89,07333.6%87,28532.9%265,431Calvert21,64060.2%14,30139.8%7,33920.4%35,941Caroline6,15459.9%4,11240.1%2,04219.9%10,266Carroll41,49959.4%28,33440.6%13,16518.9%69,883Cecil19,43561.1%12,34938.9%7,08622.3%31,784Charles34,19865.3%18,20434.7%15,99430.5%52,402Dorchester6,57560.6%4,26739.4%2,30821.3%10,842Frederick66,99164.9%36,21035.1%30,78129.8%103,201Garrett5,39449.4%5,52850.6%-134-1.2%10,992Harford61,81361.2%39,25538.8%22,55822.3%101,068Howard84,66666.542,65133.5%42,01533.0%127,317Kent5,29365.6%2,77534.4%2,51831.2%8,068Montgomery238,86172.3%91,31027.7%147,55144.7%330,171Prince George's164,17772.1%63,68627.9%100,49144.1%227,863Queen Anne's13,16159.3%9,03340.7%4,12818.6%22,194St. Mary's21,18258.2%15,18441.8%5,99816.5%36,366Somerset3,71258.6%2,62041.4%1,09217.2%6,332Talbot10,45961.3%6,59838.7%3,86122.6%17,057Washington27,50159.0%19,13441.0%8,36717.9%46,635Wicomico18,31362.0%11,22638.0%7,08724.0%29,539Worcester14,11861.8%8,74238.2%5,37623.5%22,860 Total 1,302,161 67.20% 635,572 32.80%666,58934.40%1,937,733

See also 2022 Maryland elections Cannabis in Maryland 2022 Missouri Amendment 3 List of 2022 United States cannabis reform proposals

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links

Maryland House Bill 1 at Legiscan