Maryland lawmakers on Wednesday took up a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job—taking testimony on the unique need to give emergency service professionals the option to use cannabis as an alternative treatment for health conditions that commonly afflict the first responder community.
Members of the House Economic Matters Committee met to discuss the legislation, HB 797 from Del. Adrian Boafo (D), about a week after a Senate companion version of the cannabis measure sponsored by Sen. Carl Jackson (D) advanced through that chamber.
This marks the latest in a series of attempts to enact the reform over recent sessions, Boafo said at the committee hearing on Wednesday, and lawmakers are “bringing it back because it’s so critically important to our firefighters” and other rescue professionals who “work long shifts in tense emergencies and high-stress situations every day.”
“Many experience chronic pain, injuries and anxiety as a direct result of serving our communities,” he said. “Medical cannabis, when prescribed and used off duty, can help manage those conditions. But under current policies, firefighters who use medically prescribed cannabis can face retaliation or discipline from their employers, even
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