As of today, the possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana is no longer a criminal offense. Maryland’s decriminalization law – passed by a bipartisan coalition of legislators, and signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley in April – replaces criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts of marijuana with a civil fine of up to $100 for a first offense, similar to a traffic ticket. Maryland joins 17 other states and the District of Columbia in taking a more sensible approach to marijuana.
