2022 Maryland Question 4

Referendum Question 4

November 8, 2022
Cannabis - Legalization of Adult Use and Possession
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 1,302,180 67.20% No 635,580 32.80% Valid votes 1,937,760 100.00% Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00% Total votes 1,937,760 100.00%
Yes   90–100%   80–90%   70–80%   60–70%   50–60% No   90–100%   80–90%   70–80%   60–70%   50–60% Other   Tie   No votes
Source: Maryland State Board of Elections

Question 4 was a voter referendum to amend the Constitution of Maryland in order to legalize cannabis for adult use in Maryland. The referendum was approved overwhelmingly, with more than twice as many voters voting in favor of it than against it and winning in all but one county, on November 8, 2022. It went into effect on July 1, 2023.

History

On July 16, 2021, State House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones created a committee to draft a referendum on legalization to place on the ballot in 2022. Around December 25, the chairman of the state House Cannabis Referendum and Legalization Workgroup, Luke Clippinger, pre-filed House Bill 1 for the 2022 session, to initiate the citizen referendum in 2022 that would create a constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis. The referendum bill and accompanying bill implementing legalization, House Bill 837 received public testimony and were discussed by the House Judiciary Committee on February 14, 2022. House Bill 1 was passed 96–34 by the House of Delegates on February 25. This bill was contingent on passage of the ballot referendum in the November 2022 election, whereby it would legalize recreational use of cannabis possession and use on or after July 1, 2023. The constitutional referendum and the legalization bill were both passed by the Maryland Senate on April 1. Senate Finance Committee hearings on the bills began on March 23.

Voters approved the referendum on November 8, 2022, with 67.2% of voters and 23 of 24 counties and county-equivalents (all but Garrett County) in favor. It fully took effect on July 1, 2023.

Provisions

The bill provides for adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 1+1⁄2 ounces (43 g) of marijuana and decriminalize possession of amounts greater than that up to 2+1⁄2 ounces (71 g). This bill would also establish a Cannabis Business Assistance Fund to support equity initiatives for minority- and women-owned businesses. That fund would go toward incubator and educational programs to promote participation in the industry by people most impacted by criminalization. The bill would also automatically expunge prior criminal convictions for conduct made legal under the proposed law.

Between January 1 and July 1, 2023, possession of up to 1.5 ounces was to be a civil infraction subject to a $100 fine, as provided by House Bill 837.

Opinion polls

On Question 4

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Yes	No	Other	Undecided
OpinionWorks	October 20–23, 2022	989 (LV)	± 3.1%	63%	25%	–	12%
University of Maryland	September 22–27, 2022	810 (RV)	± 4.0%	73%	23%	–	4%
Victoria Research	September 11–19, 2022	762 (RV)	± 3.7%	69%	20%	2%	8%
Goucher College	September 8–12, 2022	748 (LV)	± 3.6%	59%	34%	–	7%

On whether recreational marijuana should be legal

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Yes	No	Other	Undecided
Goucher College	March 1–6, 2022	635 (A)	± 3.9%	62%	34%	1%	3%
Goucher College	October 14–20, 2021	700 (A)	± 3.7%	60%	33%	3%	4%
Gonzales Research (D)	May 17–22, 2021	301 (LV)	± 5.8%	69%	24%	7%	–
Goucher College	February 23–28, 2021	725 (A)	± 3.6%	67%	28%	1%	4%

Results

2022 Maryland Question 4

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	1,302,180	67.20
No	635,580	32.80
Total votes	1,937,760	100.00

Source: Maryland State Board of Elections

By county

By county

Breakdown of voting by county County Yes No Margin Total Votes # % # % # % Allegany 11,973 58.0% 8,683 42.0% 3,290 15.9% 20,656 Anne Arundel 137,461 65.4% 72,579 34.6% 64,882 30.9% 210,040 Baltimore City 111,227 78.9% 29,718 21.1% 81,509 57.8% 140,945 Baltimore 176,358 66.4% 89,073 33.6% 87,285 32.9% 265,431 Calvert 21,640 60.2% 14,301 39.8% 7,339 20.4% 35,941 Caroline 6,154 59.9% 4,112 40.1% 2,042 19.9% 10,266 Carroll 41,499 59.4% 28,334 40.6% 13,165 18.9% 69,883 Cecil 19,435 61.1% 12,349 38.9% 7,086 22.3% 31,784 Charles 34,198 65.3% 18,204 34.7% 15,994 30.5% 52,402 Dorchester 6,575 60.6% 4,267 39.4% 2,308 21.3% 10,842 Frederick 66,991 64.9% 36,210 35.1% 30,781 29.8% 103,201 Garrett 5,394 49.4% 5,528 50.6% -134 -1.2% 10,992 Harford 61,813 61.2% 39,255 38.8% 22,558 22.3% 101,068 Howard 84,666 66.5 42,651 33.5% 42,015 33.0% 127,317 Kent 5,293 65.6% 2,775 34.4% 2,518 31.2% 8,068 Montgomery 238,861 72.3% 91,310 27.7% 147,551 44.7% 330,171 Prince George's 164,177 72.1% 63,686 27.9% 100,491 44.1% 227,863 Queen Anne's 13,161 59.3% 9,033 40.7% 4,128 18.6% 22,194 St. Mary's 21,182 58.2% 15,184 41.8% 5,998 16.5% 36,366 Somerset 3,712 58.6% 2,620 41.4% 1,092 17.2% 6,332 Talbot 10,459 61.3% 6,598 38.7% 3,861 22.6% 17,057 Washington 27,501 59.0% 19,134 41.0% 8,367 17.9% 46,635 Wicomico 18,313 62.0% 11,226 38.0% 7,087 24.0% 29,539 Worcester 14,118 61.8% 8,742 38.2% 5,376 23.5% 22,860 Total 1,302,161 67.20% 635,572 32.80% 666,589 34.40% 1,937,733

See also

• 2022 Maryland elections
• Cannabis in Maryland
• 2022 Missouri marijuana legalization initiative
• List of 2022 United States cannabis reform proposals

Notes

Partisan clients

External links

• Maryland Question 4, marijuana legalization amendment (2022) at Ballotpedia
• Maryland House Bill 1 at Legiscan