Maryland Bill Legalizes Edibles and Concentrates for Home Use

2 April 2025

Maryland’s cannabis laws are poised for another major update, as the General Assembly has passed legislation that expands personal production rights and provides new sentencing relief for individuals convicted under outdated marijuana laws. Governor Wes Moore is expected to sign the measure into law.

The legislation, comprised of House Bill 413 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 925, significantly broadens the scope of Maryland’s cannabis legalization framework. It allows adults aged 21 and over to produce their own cannabis edibles and concentrates at home—provided they do not use volatile solvents during production. Currently, while home cultivation of cannabis plants is permitted, residents have been limited in how they could process and use their harvests.

At the same time, the bill delivers a major boost to criminal justice reform efforts. It reduces penalties for producing large amounts of cannabis products, downgrading the offense from a felony with a mandatory five-year prison term to a misdemeanor. Importantly, it also gives currently incarcerated individuals serving mandatory minimum sentences for certain cannabis-related crimes the right to petition for resentencing.

Who Is Affected — and How:

• Adult Cannabis Consumers: Adults will gain the freedom to create their own cannabis-infused edibles and non-solvent concentrates at home, increasing access for people who live in rural areas or want affordable, customized alternatives to dispensary products.

• Medical and Recreational Cannabis Patients: Home production could offer patients more control over dosing and ingredients in products like tinctures, topicals, and edibles, particularly benefiting those with specific medical needs.

• Incarcerated Individuals: People currently serving mandatory minimum sentences for certain marijuana offenses will have a new legal pathway to petition for sentence reductions, helping to rectify the harsh penalties of the past "War on Drugs" era.

• Maryland’s Legal System: Courts could see an increase in resentencing petitions as individuals seek relief under the new law, creating a wave of potential sentence modifications over the coming months.

• The Cannabis Industry: While home production could reduce some reliance on dispensaries for products like edibles and concentrates, overall market demand for a wider variety of regulated retail products is expected to stay strong, particularly for those who prefer lab-tested, ready-made options.

Broader Trends in Maryland:

This bill follows a broader trend of cannabis normalization across Maryland. Just last month, lawmakers passed a measure protecting off-duty medical marijuana use for fire and rescue personnel. Montgomery County also eased cannabis-related hiring restrictions for police recruits. Together, these changes reflect a state increasingly committed to balancing individual rights, public safety, and equity in the growing cannabis economy.

If Governor Moore signs the legislation as expected, Maryland will not only cement its place among the states leading cannabis legalization efforts but will also strengthen its reputation for using reform to correct past injustices while expanding responsible personal freedoms.