Politics & Government

Governor Candidate Mizeur Proposes Legalizing Marijuana

Del. Heather Mizeur wants to use the revenue from taxing the drug on early childhood education.

BY ADAM BEDNAR

Del. Heather Mizeur, who is running for the Democratic Party’s nomination for governor, has proposed legalizing marijuana in Maryland.

Mizeur’s plan to regulate and tax the drug could result in $157.5 million annually, which she proposes spending on early childhood education.

"Legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana will provide Maryland with a dedicated revenue stream to make overdue and critical investments in early childhood education. Our plan will help ensure that prekindergarten is available to all children in our state," Mizeur said in a news release.

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Mizeur’s plan argues that the “excess criminalization” of marijuana has “ruined lives, made our communities less safe, and wasted valuable law enforcement resources.”

Under Mizeur’s plan no one under 21-years-old could buy marijuana, individuals would be allowed to posses up to five grams of the drug and smoking would not be allowed in public.

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She also proposes a $50 excise tax per ounce at the point of sale between cultivators and retailers, as well as an additional 2 percent excise tax, on top of the state’s 6 percent sales tax, on retail transactions.    


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