Steve Schuh wants to keep medical marijuana out of Anne Arundel County. The Anne Arundel County executive says the state’s medical marijuana law is a gateway to people without a medical card smoking pot.
“After a thorough review of the state law and hearing the concerns of public safety professionals, I believe allowing marijuana to be grown, processed and dispensed here will lead to increases in recreational use and cause significant public safety problems,” said Schuh in a statement. He added that he doesn’t want the County to be a “guinea pig” on medical marijuana.
The state is nearing approval of regulations that would outline requirements for running a medical marijuana business in the state, and some counties have already started preliminary approval of growing facilities. One Annapolis clinic already opened over the summer. Schuh can’t stop people from having a medical card, but he said the state law allows the county government to decide whether they want to allow medical marijuana in the area.
Schuh said that after discussing the issue with experts, he is worried about the regulations inadvertently allowing recreational marijuana use, and medical marijuana being resold. Economic development officials also raised concerns about the “implications for the largely federal workforce” in the county.
