Councilmembers Kristin Mink, Laurie-Anne Sayles and Will Jawando introduced a bill Tuesday that would create a commission to support communities disproportionately affected by past cannabis enforcement.
The purpose of the new bill is, in part, to fulfill a Maryland law that requires the county to specify how it will use its revenue from the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund.
The fund requires 35% of the revenue gained from state sales tax on adult-use cannabis be split among Maryland counties proportionate to amount of prosecution their residents faced for cannabis possession charges. Each jurisdiction must then allocate the funds to community-based organizations to support those most impacted by inequitable cannabis enforcement.
Montgomery County will draw around $1 million per year from the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund which will be given to non-profits in the area, according to Mink.
“We have an opportunity to ensure that impacted communities have a public and participatory leading role in deciding where this funding should land,” Mink said.
In addition to specifying use of the Community Reinvestment and Repair Funds, the commission will also define membership and duties, provide staffing and recommend community-based grants to the county.
The commission is an important step in combatting disproportionate prosecution of cannabis use, which has historically had a greater impact on communities of color, Jawando said. The state of Maryland incarcerates more 18 to 24-year-old men than any other state, many of whom have been incarcerated for low-level drug possession and use, he added.
The councilmember also referenced the FDA’s recent proposal to reclassify cannabis as a lower risk drug and reduce federal regulations.
“I’m really hopeful that the commission that will be created by this bill will thoughtfully advise us in the county about community uses of these funds that come from now the legal sale of cannabis,” Jawando said.
A public hearing about this bill is scheduled for March 5.
