Drug policy of Maryland
The U.S. state of Maryland has various policies restricting the production, sale, and use of different substances.
Contents |
Specific drugs [edit]
Alcohol [edit]
As of July 2011, the sales tax for purchasing alcohol in Maryland is 9 percent.[1] According to Governor Martin O'Malley, the tax increase is intended to raise $85 million for state programs.
Businesses that operate in the state of Maryland have certain requirements if they serve alcohol. Any employee that handles alcohol must be at least 18 years of age.[2] Bar Tenders and Restaurant Servers also have the responsibility to monitoring their customers' alcohol consumption in order to help prevent drunk driving. If the Bar Tender or Server is shown to have known and purposefully neglected this responsibility, the employee can be help criminally responsible. They are also required to verify the age of those purchasing alcohol, to make sure they are of the legal age. As of right now, the minimum legal age to purchase alcohol in Maryland is 21.
It is against the law to misrepresent one's age by use of: Using someone else's driver's license, ID card or a using a Fake ID. The penalties for this include:[3]
- Fines of up to $2,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 years.
- Suspension or revocation of driver's license.
If under the age of 18:
- The violator may be required to attend a supervised work or alcohol rehabilitation program.
- The violator's parents may be asked to withdraw consent for their child to hold a license.
Drinking and Driving [edit]
When a prospective driver is given a license in the state of Maryland, they are required to sign an agreement to submit to a BAC (blood alcohol content) test if asked to by a police officer. Refusal to take the test results in a 120-day suspension of offender's license. If detained a second time and offender refuses to take a BAC test, there is an automatic one-year suspension of the license.[3]
Drinking and driving is deterred with fines, license suspension and jail time. The penalties vary depending on the circumstances.
If the offender is under the age of 21 and shows to have any blood alcohol level of just .02, the license may be revoked or suspended and the violator may face a fine of up to $500.[3]
The legal limit for anyone over the age of 21 is .08, in which case they are DWI (driving while intoxicated. If the offender is driving with a blood alcohol content of .04-.08, they can be cited for DUI (driving under the influence).[3] If the offender is considered to be intoxicated, the penalties are as follows:[3]
- 45-day licence suspension for first offense.
- 90-day licence suspension for second offense.
- Loss of driving privileges.
If the offender is transporting a minor at the time, the offender may:
- Face a fine of up to $4,000 and a prison sentence of up to four years.[3]
Cannabis [edit]
A medical necessity defense is available for medical cannabis cases under a law passed in 2003.[4] The state has some mandatory minimum sentences in place. The state of Maryland permits a defendant to prove that they are using cannabis for medical reasons; in which case there is a maximum penalty of $100.[5] There is discussion to change the current Maryland law to permit medical cannabis possession and use after filing an application.[6]
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley says that he will veto the bill if it is passed in the legislature. O'Malley is said to take this position because he fears that due to the fact that current federal law still outlaws the substance, state employees involved in its processing could be subject to arrests.[6]
Cocaine [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Nathans, Aaron (July 10, 2011). "Del. package stores hope to benefit from Md. tax". delawareonline.com. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
- ^ "Employment of Minors Fact Sheet". State of Maryland - Division of Labor and Industry. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "Diver-Services". MVA. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
- ^ "Drug Policy Alliance: Reform in Maryland: Promoting Effective Public Health and Public Safety Strategies".
- ^ "Maryland Medical Marijuana". Retrieved 15 March 2012.
- ^ a b "O'Malley opposes Md. medical marijuana legislation out of concern of federal legal landscape". The Washington Post. March 9, 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
