The Howard County Council has unanimously voted to create an adult-use cannabis advisory panel and workgroup. The effort is an attempt to have some say in the county’s cannabis industry amidst far-reaching state regulations that limit county revenue from cannabis sales and prevent any county licensing role.
Some Howard County Council members are chafing at what they see as the state’s extraordinary involvement in regulating cannabis.
“The state overtook what would traditionally be the county’s prerogative,” said Council Member Deb Jung, representing District 4, before the July 5 vote. “In many areas in cannabis they have told us how we have to conduct our own zoning with stores that are selling cannabis. They have allowed us to take 45 cents on every one hundred dollars that is paid by somebody purchasing cannabis.
“Even though we have the ability to license alcohol use (liquor stores) on the local level, the state has taken on licensing and given themselves the authority, removing that from the county.”
Republican council member David Yungmann from District 5 was more blunt in his assessment.
“Man, these guys must have had good lobbyists,” he commented at the legislative session. “I hope the panel and the workgroup can come up with some ways that we can exert some local control over this stuff. Even if it turns out to be limited, it’s still an important effort, and a good effort.”
The Adult-Use Cannabis Advisory Panel (CB32-2023) and Cannabis Workgroup (CR104-2023) legislation was spearheaded by District 2 Democrat Council Member Opel Jones. He suggested the new advisory panel might undertake the following:
● Decide how to spend the portion of cannabis sales tax that will be allocated to the county’s general fund;
● Create educational or health initiatives to advise residents to changes in the law and its potential effects for adult cannabis users;
● Work with the cannabis business community to smoothly implement the state’s cannabis legislation
● Work with local law enforcement to ensure equitable enforcement;
● Advocate for changes in state law and ensure state law is enforced equitably in Howard County, such as increasing the county’s sales tax revenue; and
● Study state data regarding cannabis legalization in the county.
Jung was skeptical about what the new legislation may be able to accomplish, but retained hope that it could lead to improved circumstances for Howard County.
“I still don’t see much in the cannabis arena for regulation or impact when it comes to what we should be able to do as a county,” she said “If nothing else, I do really hope that both of these groups will spend time in front of the state legislature demanding the counties get back the power that has been taken away from them on the local level.”
