A Maryland commission postponed a final vote on medical marijuana regulations, saying the 15-member panel needs more time to craft rules for the production and sale of extracts.
The panel will instead meet Nov. 13, when it’s expected to adopt final regulations, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Paul W. Davies, chairman of the commission, said the group is not yet ready to vote on the proposed rules, saying members need to further explore regulations governing the sale of liquid extracts that are “incredibly important” for medical use.
The panel also intends to reduce proposed licensing fees for growing and selling cannabis, which many advocates argue are too high, Davies said.
This marks the second major delay in the rule-making process.
The commission initially focused on growing and dispensing marijuana in leaf form because the state General Assembly set a Sept. 15 deadline for adopting regulations. It then decided to respond to public comments urging officials to include language on extracts, as smoking marijuana isn’t feasible or ideal for many patients, according to the Sun.
Maryland approved legislation earlier this year permitting physicians to recommend medical marijuana. The law allows for up to 15 licensed growers and an undetermined number of dispensaries.
