Maryland lawmakers have approved a bill to protect firefighters and rescue workers from being penalized over their lawful use of medical marijuana off the job.
The House of Delegates passed the legislation, HB 797 from Del. Adrian Boafo (D), on third reading by a vote of 100-31 on Thursday, days after it advanced through the Economic Matters Committee.
A Senate companion version of the cannabis measure sponsored by Sen. Carl Jackson (D) advanced through that chamber last month.
This marks the latest in a series of attempts over recent sessions to enact the reform aimed at giving emergency service professionals the option to use cannabis as an alternative treatment for health conditions that commonly afflict the first responder community, Boafo said at a earlier committee hearing on the bill.
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,” he said.
“Many experience chronic pain, injuries and anxiety as a direct result of serving our communities,” the lawmaker said. “Medical cannabis, when prescribed and used off duty, can help manage those conditions. But under current policies, firefighters who use medically prescribed
Read full article on Marijuana Moment
