Wicomico County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Wicomico County?

Medical and adult-use cannabis may be cultivated legally in Wicomico County. In 2014, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) was set up by the Medical Cannabis Law of the State of Maryland. Starting July 1, 2023, adult-use cannabis was legalized by the state’s Cannabis Reform Act for persons aged 21 and older. Because of that, the MMCC was transformed into the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA).

Wicomico County had no medical cannabis grower licensee as of September 2022, according to data from the MMMC. The MCA required medical cannabis grower licensees to apply for a conversion of their license to a medical and adult-use cannabis grower license or a medical and adult-use cannabis micro-grower license by July 1, 2023. Those who opted not to do so had to discontinue operations. Each of the two new licensure classifications is valid for five years.

The MCA will grant a maximum of 75 medical and adult-use cannabis grower licenses and 100 medical and adult-use cannabis micro-grower licenses in the state pursuant to the Cannabis Reform Act. Conversions are already counted toward the quota.

A medical and adult-use cannabis grower licensee may cultivate up to 300,000 square feet of cannabis crop canopy. Micro-grower licensees for medical and recreational cannabis are permitted to cultivate their crops in spaces no larger than 10,000 square feet. Only indoor cultivation of cannabis is permitted for any licensee.

Cannabis home growing for personal use is also permitted for anyone aged 21 and over. Those who hold a medical cannabis card can grow up to four cannabis plants at their residence. Otherwise, persons who qualify by age can only grow up to two cannabis plants in one household. Even in homes with several residents who meet the age requirement, this is the maximum.

Authorization from the property owner on paper is necessary if the grower does not own the home. Cannabis must be grown in a confined setting that keeps out children and is concealed from public view.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Wicomico County?

Medical and adult-use cannabis products may be manufactured legally in Wicomico County in accordance with the State of Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Law and Cannabis Reform Act.

According to MMMC data, Wicomico County had no medical cannabis manufacturer licensee. To remain in business after July 1, 2023, medical cannabis manufacturer licensees were required by the MCA to apply for conversion to a medical and adult-use cannabis microprocessor license or a medical and adult-use cannabis processor license before that date. The two new licensing types each have a five-year validity duration.

The MCA will grant a total of 100 medical and adult-use cannabis processor licenses and 100 medical and adult-use cannabis micro-processor licenses for the entire state, counting conversions.

A licensed medical and adult-use cannabis processor may manufacture products from more than 1,000 pounds of cannabis per year. A licensed medical and adult-use cannabis micro-processor is only allowed to manufacture cannabis products from a total of 1,000 pounds of cannabis each year.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Wicomico County?

Medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis products may be legally sold by retail in Wicomico County as stipulated by the Medical Cannabis Law and Cannabis Reform Act of the State of Maryland. The Medical Cannabis Law only allows the sale of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to medical cannabis cardholders. The Cannabis Reform Act only allows the sale of adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products to persons aged 21 and older.

The MCA obliged medical cannabis dispensary licensees to turn in a request for conversion to a medical and adult-use cannabis dispensary license or a medical and adult-use cannabis micro-dispensary license by July 1, 2023, or their businesses would be closed on that day. The two new licensing categories are also valid for five years.

Throughout the state, the MCA will only award 300 medical and adult-use cannabis dispensary licenses and 200 medical and adult-use cannabis micro-dispensary licenses, inclusive of conversions. According to MCA statistics, Wicomico County had one cannabis dispensary licensee as of August 2023, located in the City of Salisbury.

A medical and adult-use cannabis dispensary licensee is allowed to open a physical retail shop from where it can sell and deliver medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis products to qualified buyers. A medical and adult-use cannabis micro-dispensary license holder, on the other hand, is not allowed to operate a physical store and is solely permitted to sell retail medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis products to qualifying purchasers via delivery. It is also prohibited from employing more than ten staff members.

Excluding converted licensed dispensary facilities that were operational before July 1, 2023, all recently licensed medical and adult-use cannabis dispensaries and micro-dispensaries must be located not less than 500 feet away from parks, playgrounds, schools, and daycare centers, and at least 1,000 feet away from existing licensed cannabis dispensaries.

Each medical cannabis cardholder has a 30-day purchase limit from a licensed medical and adult-use cannabis dispensary or micro-dispensary. In medical cannabis products, this is equivalent to 36 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content. In dried cannabis, this is equivalent to 120 grams.

The equivalent of the state's allowed personal use limit for adult-use cannabis may be bought per transaction by customers aged 21 and older. This includes 12 grams of cannabis concentrate, 1.5 ounces of dried cannabis flowers, and 750 milligrams of THC contained in cannabis products.

Consumers have to present a valid government-issued photo ID to the licensed medical and adult-use cannabis dispensary or micro-dispensary to confirm their age and identification.

The categories of medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis products that licensed dispensaries and micro-dispensaries are permitted to supply by retail are dried flowers, tinctures, edible goods, capsules, waxes, concentrates, suppositories, dermal patches, oils, and topical formulations.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Wicomico County?

Medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis products may be delivered legally in Wicomico County according to the State of Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Law and Cannabis Reform Act. Licensed dispensaries and micro-dispensaries may deliver medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to medical cannabis cardholders, and adult-use cannabis and adult-use cannabis products to persons aged 21 and older.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Wicomico County

For Wicomico County residents to get a medical cannabis card, they must open an account on the MCA registry via the State of Maryland’s OneStop Portal. Through this, they will acquire their patient ID number. They must next find an MCA-registered physician to examine them. There were 12 in Wicomico County as of August 2023.

If the patient is found to have at least one of the qualifying illnesses for medical cannabis treatment, the physician will use the patient’s identifying number to submit a written certification online to the MCA registry.

The ailments that qualify are the following:

• Wasting syndrome
• Any severe chronic illness for which other treatments have been ineffective
• Severe or persistent muscle spasms
• Cachexia
• Glaucoma
• Severe nausea
• Severe or chronic pain
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anorexia
• Seizures

After paying $25, the patient can obtain the medical cannabis card from the registry. Patients who can show documented proof that they are recipients of the Maryland Veterans Affairs Health Care System or the Maryland Medical Assistance Program are exempt from paying the charge.

At least one caregiver is required to be a parent or legal guardian for patients under 18. Up to four caregivers, including the parent and legal guardian, can be listed. Caregivers of children and caregivers of adults must be registered with the MCA.

Walk-in queries are accepted at the MCA beginning at 10 a.m. on weekdays. This location is open till 2 p.m.:

Maryland Cannabis Administration

849 International Drive Suite 450,

Linthicum, MD 21090

Phone: 410-487-8100 or 1-844-421-2571

Email: mdh.infoandregistration@maryland.gov

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Wicomico County?

Retail sales of recreational cannabis and recreational cannabis products are subject to a 9% sales and use tax in the State of Maryland under the Maryland Cannabis Reform Act. This tax is not applicable to sales among licensed adult-use cannabis establishments or purchases of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products.

The state provides 5% of its cannabis earnings to counties that have licensed adult-use cannabis businesses, based on each county's contribution percentage. The county must distribute its allocation among municipalities that have licensed adult-use cannabis enterprises depending on the contribution of each municipality.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Wicomico County

Medical cannabis was legalized in Wicomico County and the whole of the State of Maryland in 2014, and adult-use cannabis was legalized in 2023.

Data sent on the FBI Crime Explorer page shows that a year before medical cannabis was legalized, there were 15,620 medical cannabis was legalized marijuana possession and 1,378 arrests for marijuana sales, totaling 16,998 arrests for marijuana offenses in the state in 2013.

A year after medical cannabis was legalized, there were 11,764 arrests for marijuana possession and 1,917 arrests for marijuana sales arrests, totaling 13,681 arrests for marijuana offenses across the state in 2015.

In 2018, there were 16,388 arrests for marijuana possession and 2,241 arrests for marijuana sales, totaling 18,629 arrests for marijuana offenses throughout the state.

The latest data showed 1,088 marijuana arrests for possession and 269 arrests for marijuana sales, totaling 1,357 arrests for marijuana offenses statewide in 2021.

The number of DUI arrests across the state during those years was as follows:

• 2013: 14,848 arrests
• 2015: 17,525 arrests
• 2018: 18,443 arrests
• 2021: 3,312 arrests