The House of Delegates voted by a wide, bipartisan margin today to approve the medical use of marijuana in Maryland, marking the most progress the issue has made in that chamber so far. With a round of applause, the House voted 108 to 28 to create a commission that will regulate the use of medical marijuana at Maryland academic centers.
Delegate Dan Morhaim, a doctor from Baltimore County and one of several legislators who have been working for years on the issue, said he expects a similar reaction from state Senate.
“I never like to make predictions but they’ve been very supportive of medical marijuana so far,” he said.
The commission would be named for Natalie LaTrade, the mother of Baltimore Democrat Cheryl Glenn and one of Glenn’s two relatives who died during cancer treatments because they couldn’t eat.
“Unfortunately doctors could not prescribe medical marijuana which is a known appetite stimulant,” Delegate Glenn explained. “I’m so glad that the door is now open.”
The only concern with just two weeks left in the session is that senators might think the measure doesn’t go far enough.