The governor of Maryland says that as the state works to build upon its marijuana legalization law, he will continue to “advocate for a sane and a standard federal policy,” including banking reform so that small cannabis businesses have access to capital.

In an Instagram Live conversation with Hope Wiseman, founder of the marijuana retailer Mary and Main, Gov. Wes Moore (D) said on Wednesday that while he’s committed to ensuring that social equity is integral to Maryland’s cannabis market, and his recent mass pardon for past marijuana and paraphernalia convictions is part of that, it remains critical that federal reform advances.

“What we’re doing state of Maryland is revolutionary,” he said. But “there are parts of this country that are behind us and on federal law.”

“So one thing that I know that we will continue to do—and I know a lot of our partners will continue to do—we’re going to continue advocating for changes within the federal system,” Moore said, adding that the Biden administration has made a “major move” by proposing to reschedule cannabis because it made “absolutely no sense” to classify it in the same category as heroin.

“There is movement, and there’s momentum. That’s happening,” he said. “But we have to make sure we’re continuing to advocate for a sane and a standard federal policy in the way that we’re addressing these issues.”

Wiseman also brought up the fact that while moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) would allow state-licensed cannabis businesses to take federal tax deductions, there’s still a need to address the lack of banking access for the industry, a situation that makes it “a difficult place to navigate.”

Moore said that banking is “a component that I think sometimes people miss when it comes access, and why it’s so difficult to get access to capital to entrepreneurs when you have different rules between different states and the feds.”

“There’s a whole lot that can be done on the state side. There’s a whole lot that our individual states can do,” he said. “But one of the really important things that has to be done with all of us on the state side as well is you have to make sure that the federal conversation is getting pushed as well.”

The governor has been discussing his vision for cannabis reform frequently in recent weeks, as he promotes his recent mass pardon forgiving more than 175,000 marijuana and paraphernalia convictions.

That clemency was about more than addressing the public policy consequences of criminalization,” Moore said in an earlier interview. As someone who was exposed to the criminal legal system at an early age, and having been a medical cannabis patient himself, he said there’s an important personal psychological impact of attaining that relief.

Last month, Moore and the president of the NAACP also promoted the state’s historic mass marijuana pardon, which they said would unlock the economic potential of people targeted by criminalization. But the governor also stressed the need to get the word out about next steps for the majority of pardon recipients whose records weren’t automatically expunged by his clemency move.

Moore has also gained praise from the White House and other officials such as Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) for his cannabis clemency move.

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Meanwhile, since Maryland’s adult-use cannabis market launched in July of last year, licensed retailers have sold more than $1.1 billion worth of legal marijuana products, including more than $700 million to adult consumers and $400 million in medical marijuana, the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) said last month.

During the first quarter of 2024, meanwhile, the state collected nearly $15 million in marijuana sales tax revenue—an increase of less than 0.7 percent compared to the previous quarter.

Aside from cannabis, the governor in May also signed a pair of bills into law to establish a psychedelics task force that will study legal access to substances like psilocybin and DMT.

Delaware Officials Will Start Accepting Adult-Use Marijuana License Applications Ahead Of Schedule This Month

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Maryland’s third Amazon Fresh store, all located in Montgomery County, opened Aug. 8 in Gaithersburg. The company also has two locations in Chevy Chase, at 5463 Wisconsin Ave. and 8525 Chevy Chase Lake Terrace.

“We’re thrilled to open our newest Amazon Fresh grocery store right here in the heart of Montgomery County. This opening invites customers in Gaithersburg to experience grocery shopping with Amazon Fresh, both in-store and online. We’re excited for customers to see our wide selection of national brands, high-quality produce, and curated array of their favorite local items and fresh-prepared meals,” said Jim Gillespie, Regional Manager, Amazon Fresh, in a news release.

The Gaithersburg Amazon Fresh store features the company’s latest brick-and-mortar design, unveiled last year in Chicago and Southern California. Customers will find a selection of national brands, quality produce and protein, plus Amazon’s private label brands like Aplenty, Fresh Brand, and 365 by Whole Foods Market at low prices, the company said.

Amazon Fresh touts its ability to merge the convenience of online grocery shopping with an elevated in-store experience. Customers can choose grocery delivery and pickup options, grocery shop in the store using the Amazon Dash Cart and Amazon One.

A grand opening celebration for customers was held Aug. 8. Customers can participate in a food drive benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank.

About Amazon Fresh Store in Gaithersburg:

• Address: 15790 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg
• Store Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week
• Size: About 31,000 square feet
• Selection: Produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods made fresh in store every day. A dedicated department offering a wide selection of crackers, cheeses, and charcuterie from local and national brands, and a wide selection of international flavors with condiments and sauces. Plus, grab and go sandwiches, salads, wraps, snack boxes, take-and-bake pizzas, ready-to-heat burritos, and ready-made meals.

Prime members have exclusive access to Prime Savings, which offers 10% off on hundreds of additional grocery items across the aisles.

You can find more information about Amazon Fresh Gaithersburg here.

MARYLAND — Tropical Storm Debby is expected to reach Maryland by Friday morning after it weakens to a tropical depression. Marylanders should still anticipate heavy rainfall, flash flooding and strong wind.

Sandbagging has begun in waterfront cities like Annapolis and Baltimore as residents brace for flooding, and the governor declared a state of preparedness to help public agencies gear up for a possible disaster response.

Debby is heading up the East Coast as it has made landfall for a second time. The National Hurricane Center says Debby came ashore early Thursday near Bulls Bay, South Carolina.
The storm is expected to keep moving inland, spreading heavy rain and possible flooding through the Mid-Atlantic up to the Northeast by the weekend. Debby first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane early Monday on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

As Debby drenches South Carolina, heavy rainfall from the tropical storm is also expected to cause flooding across portions of the Mid-Atlantic states on Friday.

At least seven people have died due to the storm, five of them in traffic accidents or from fallen trees. The sixth death involved a 48-year-old man in Gulfport, whose body was recovered after his anchored sailboat partially sank. And the most recent victim died in a tornado spawned by the storm in North Carolina Thursday.

Debby was located over South Carolina Thursday morning with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. The system is forecast to be downgraded to a tropical depression Thursday afternoon or evening. It would then merge with a front and become extratropical on Friday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Maryland Debby Forecast

The National Hurricane Center called for 2 to 4 inches of rain in central Maryland. Western Maryland could see up to 6 inches. One to 2 inches are in store for southern Maryland and eastern Shore towns along the Chesapeake Bay. The Salisbury area may get less than an inch.

The rain should clear before Saturday morning.

Tides 2.5 to 3 feet above normal are forecasted in Annapolis, where high tides are at 9:03 p.m. Thursday and 8:48 a.m. Friday.

Anne Arundel County will be under a coastal flood advisory from 7 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. Thursday. Up to 6 inches of flooding are possible in low-lying areas during this period.

A more serious coastal flood watch will then take over, lasting from early Friday morning through late Friday night and bringing 1 to 2 feet of flooding.

“If travel is required, allow extra time as some roads may be closed,” the National Weather Service said. “Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property.”

There were no flood warnings for other coastal areas like Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and Baltimore County’s Bowleys Quarters as of 10 a.m. Thursday.

Western Maryland has a 40% chance of flash flooding, giving it a moderate risk. Central Maryland has a slight risk of flash flooding with a 15% chance. The Eastern Shore’s 5% chance of flash floods gives it a marginal risk.

The winds will lose some energy before reaching Maryland. Still, gusts up to 36 mph are possible at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Throughout the state, the chance of sustained 39 mph winds is 5 to 10%.

Hurricanes have sustained winds over 74 mph. Tropical storms have winds of 39 to 74 mph. Tropical depression winds are 38 mph or lower.

“The combination of tropical-storm-force winds will have trees bobbing and tipping in the saturated soil, and a number may topple over that can lead to property damage and power outages,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said in a forecast discussion.

The winds could disrupt traffic on Maryland bridges. House trailers and empty box trailers would be prohibited from crossing if winds are sustained at 40 to 49 mph for 10 minutes or gusts persistently exceed 40 mph over 15 minutes. Drivers can follow the Maryland Transportation Authority on X, formerly known as Twitter, to see live bridge traffic updates.

Storm Preparations

Gov. Wes Moore issued the preparedness order Tuesday afternoon.

“The safety of Marylanders is our top priority,” Moore said in a statement. “By declaring a State of Preparedness, I am directing the Department of Emergency Management to coordinate the comprehensive preparation of State government ahead of potential impacts from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby.”

Moore continued, “Residents and visitors should monitor local weather forecasts, remain vigilant, and be prepared to follow safety instructions from local emergency officials.”

In the order, state officials encouraged Marylanders to prepare for Debby’s possible arrival by doing the following:

• Encourage your family and friends to finish preparedness activities now. Check on your neighbors — especially older adults or those who may need additional assistance — to make sure they have what they need. Have a plan to remain in contact during and after the storm.
• You may have to evacuate quickly due to a storm if you live in an evacuation zone. To learn if you live or work in an evacuation zone in Maryland, please visit this Know Your Zone page.
• Learn your evacuation routes, practice with your household and pets, and identify where you will stay.
• Follow instructions from local emergency managers, who work closely with state and local agencies and partners. They will provide the latest recommendations based on the threat to your community and appropriate safety measures.
• Keep your cell phone, tablet and laptop charged when you know a storm is in the forecast and purchase backup charging devices to power electronics.
• Have enough supplies for your household, including medication, disinfectant supplies and pet supplies in your evacuation bag or car trunk. You may not have access to these supplies for days or even weeks after a hurricane.

To receive alerts, tips and resources related to threats and hazards affecting Maryland, text MdReady to 211-631 or text MdListo for Spanish.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.