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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
*sb0594*
SENATE BILL 594
A3 (6lr1313)
ENROLLED BILL
— Finance/Economic Matters —
Introduced by Senators Beidle and Gile
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at _________________ _______ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
President.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Cannabis – Advertising – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of altering the ownership and control percentage requirement for a social 3
equity applicant for a cannabis license; repealing certain criteria for a certain 4
prohibition on cannabis advertising that targets minors individuals under the age of 5
21 years ; authorizing a standard dispensary to place certain exterior signage for 6
certain limited purposes under certain circumstances; requiring the Maryland 7
Cannabis Administration to accept certain advertising audience composition data 8
and establish develop by regulation an alternative method for determining audience 9
composition a process for accepting a certain attestation from a certain person 10
regarding audience composition; providing a certain exception to a prohibition on the 11
third–party use of certain disti nguishing characteristics of a cannabis licensee for 12
advertisements; and generally relating to cannabis advertising. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
2 SENATE BILL 594
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 1
Section 36–101(ff) and 36–903 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 4
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 5
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 6
Section 36–901 and 36–903 7
Annotated Code of Maryland 8
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 11
Section 36–901 and 36–902 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 16
Section 36–903 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis 22
36–101. 23
(ff) “Social equity applicant” means an applicant for a cannabis license or 24
cannabis registration that: 25
(1) has at least [65%] 55% ownership and control held by one or more 26
individuals who: 27
(i) have lived in a disproportionately impacted area for at least 5 of 28
the 10 years immediately preceding the submission of the application; 29
(ii) attended a public school in a disproportionately impacted area for 30
at least 5 years; or 31
(iii) for at least 2 years, attended a 4 –year institu tion of higher 32
education in the State where at least 40% of the individuals who attend the institution of 33
higher education are eligible for a Pell Grant; or 34
(2) meets any other criteria established by the Administration. 35
SENATE BILL 594 3
36–901. 1
(a) In this subtitle [, “advertisement” ] THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE 2
MEANINGS INDICATED. 3
(B) (1) “ADVERTISEMENT” means the publication, dissemination, or 4
circulation of any auditory, visual, digital, oral, or written matter, which is directly or 5
indirectly calculated to induce the sale of cannabis or any cannabis –related product or 6
service. 7
[(b)] (2) “Advertisement” does not include packaging or labeling. 8
(C) “THERAPEUTIC OR MEDICAL CLAIM” MEANS A CLAIM THAT EXPLICITLY 9
STATES A PRODUCT CAN DIAGNOSE, TREAT, MITIGATE, CURE, OR PREVENT A 10
DISEASE OR CONDITION. 11
36–902. 12
An advertisement for cannabis and cannabis p roducts or cannabis–related services 13
that makes therapeutic or medical claims shall: 14
(1) be supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence; and 15
(2) include information on the most serious and most common side effects 16
or risks associated with the use of cannabis. 17
36–903. 18
(a) (1) An advertisement for a cannabis licensee, cannabis product, or 19
cannabis–related service may not: 20
(i) violate Title 13, Subtitle 3 of the Commercial Law Article; 21
(ii) directly [or indirectly ] target individuals under the age of 21 22
years; 23
(iii) contain a design, an illustration, a picture, or a representation 24
that: 25
1. targets [or is attractive to] minors INDIVIDUALS UNDER 26
THE AGE OF 21 YEARS, including a cartoon character, a mascot, or any other depiction 27
that is commonly used to market products to minors INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE AGE OF 28
21 YEARS; 29
4 SENATE BILL 594
2. displays the use of cannabis, including the consumption, 1
smoking, or vaping of cannabis; 2
3. encourages or promotes cannabis for use as an intoxicant; 3
or 4
4. is obscene; 5
(iv) engage in advertising by means of television, radio, Internet, 6
mobile application, social media, or other electronic communication, event sponsorship, or 7
print publication, unless at least 85% of the audience is reasonably expected to be at least 8
21 years old as determined [by reliable and current audience composition data ] IN 9
ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION; or 10
(v) except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, engage in 11
advertising by means of placing an advertisement on the side of a building or another 12
publicly visible location of any form, including a sign, a poster, a placard, a device, a graphic 13
display, an outdoor billboard, or a freestanding signboard. 14
(2) (I) THIS PARAGRAPH DOES NOT APPLY TO: 15
1. EXTERIOR SIGNAGE USE D FOR OPERATIONAL 16
PURPOSES; 17
2. SIGNS THAT WERE PAIN TED ON THE PERMANENT 18
STRUCTURE OF A CANNABIS BUSINESS PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2026; OR 19
3. INTERIOR DISPLAYS THAT ARE VISIBLE THROUGH THE 20
WINDOWS OR DOORS OF A LICENSED PREMISES BUT ARE NOT AFFIXED TO A 21
PERMANENT STRUCTURE. 22
(II) A cannabis business may place exterior signage on the premises 23
of the business for the limited purpose of identifying the business to the public. 24
(II) (III) SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (III) (IV) OF THIS 25
PARAGRAPH, THE HOLDER OF A STAN DARD DISPENSARY LICE NSE MAY PLACE 26
EXTERIOR SIGNAGE, INCLUDING A POSTER O R A PLACARD THAT IS ATTACHED TO 27
THE BUILDING, OR A FREESTANDING SIGNBOARD THAT IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT 28
TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE LICENSED PREMISES, FOR THE LIMITED PURPOSE OF: 29
1. IDENTIFYING ITSELF A S A LICENSED CANNABI S 30
BUSINESS AND A CANNABIS TRUSTED SOURCE; 31
SENATE BILL 594 5
2. PROVIDING CONTACT IN FORMATION FOR THE 1
DISPENSARY, INCLUDING A WEBSITE ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, E–MAIL ADDRESS, 2
OR QUICK RESPONSE (QR) CODE; 3
3. 2. PROVIDING CONTACT IN FORMATION FOR THE 4
ADMINISTRATION; 5
4. 3. PROVIDING INFORMATIO N ON WHAT TO DO IF A N 6
ADVERSE EVENT OCCURS, INCLUDING: 7
A. AN ADVISORY TO CALL 9–1–1 IN AN EMERGENCY; 8
B. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE MARYLAND 9
POISON CENTER; AND 10
C. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE PET POISON 11
HELPLINE; AND 12
5. 4. IDENTIFYING AN OWNER SHIP OR LICENSURE 13
DESIGNATION, AS APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. 14
(III) (IV) EXTERIOR SIGNAGE UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (II) (III) 15
OF THIS PARAGRAPH MAY NOT EXCEED: 16
1. 900 SQUARE INCHES FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL EXTERIOR 17
SIGN; OR 18
2. 1,200 SQUARE INCHES TOTAL FOR ALL EXTERIOR 19
SIGNAGE. 20
(3) TO DETERMINE WHETHER AN ADVERTISEMENT OR A PROPOSED 21
ADVERTISEMENT MEETS THE AUDIENCE COMPOSI TION REQUIREMENTS UNDER 22
PARAGRAPH (1)(IV) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL: 23
(I) ACCEPT THE MOST RECE NT AND READILY AVAIL ABLE 24
AUDIENCE COMPOSITION DATA FROM THE TELEVISION, RADIO, INTERNET, MOBILE 25
APPLICATION, SOCIAL MEDIA , OR OTHER ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, EVENT 26
SPONSORSHIP, OR PRINT PUBLICATION ENTITY WITH WHICH TH E CANNABIS 27
LICENSEE ADVERTISES OR PROPOSES TO ADVERTISE; AND 28
(II) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2027, ADOPT REGULATIONS 29
ESTABLISHING AT LEAST ONE ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR DETERMINING AUDIENCE 30
COMPOSITION THAT DEVELOP A PROCESS TO ACCEPT AN ATTESTATION REGARDING 31
6 SENATE BILL 594
AUDIENCE COMPOSITION FROM AN ORGANIZER OR HOST OF AN EVENT THA T A 1
CANNABIS BUSINESS PR OPOSES TO ADVERTISE AT THROUGH AN EVENT 2
SPONSORSHIP. 3
(b) (1) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, each 4
cannabis–related website shall employ a neutral age –screening mechanism that verifies 5
that the user is at least 21 years old, including by using an age –gate, age–screen, or age 6
verification mechanism before the user may access or view any content and before the 7
website may collect the user’s address, e –mail address, phone number, or contact 8
information to disseminate advertisements. 9
(ii) If a website is appropriate for a qualifying patient who is under 10
the age of 21 years, the website shall provide an alternative screening mechanism for the 11
qualifying patient. 12
(2) An advertisement placed on social media or a mobile application shall 13
include a notification that an individual must be at least 21 years old to view the content. 14
(3) The provisions of this subtitle applicable to cannabis licensees may not 15
be avoided by hiring or contracting with a third–party, or outsourcing advertisements that 16
do not comply with this subtitle. 17
(4) (I) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 18
PARAGRAPH, A cannabis licensee may not allow the use of the licensee’s trademarks, 19
brands, names, locations, or other distinguishing characteristics for third –party use for 20
advertisements that do not comply with this subtitle. 21
(II) THE USE O F TRADEMARKS , BRANDS, NAMES, LOCATIONS, 22
OR OTHER DISTINGUISH ING CHARACTERISTICS IN A NEWS ARTICLE , INTERVIEW, 23
DOCUMENTARY, OR OTHER EDITORIAL C ONTENT THAT IS NOT I NTENDED AS 24
COMMERCIAL ADVERTISI NG IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE PROHIBITION UNDE R 25
SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH TRADEMARK, BRAND, NAME, LOCATION, 26
OR OTHER DISTINGUISH ING CHARACTERISTIC O F A CANNABIS BUSINES S MAY BE 27
USED IN A NEWS ARTIC LE, INTERVIEW, DOCUMENTARY, OR OTHER EDITORIAL 28
CONTENT IF THE CANNABIS BUSINESS OR A THIRD PARTY ACTING ON BEHALF OF A 29
CANNABIS BUSINESS DO ES NOT PROVIDE COMPE NSATION OR ANYTHING ELSE OF 30
VALUE TO THE PUBLISHER OF THE NEWS ARTICLE, INTERVIEW, DOCUMENTARY, OR 31
OTHER EDITORIAL CONTENT. 32
(c) The Administration shall adopt regulations to establish procedures for the 33
enforcement of this section. 34
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before January 1, 2027, 35
the Maryland Cannabis Administration shall submit an interim report to the Senate 36
Finance Committee and the House Economic Matters Committee, and a final report on or 37
SENATE BILL 594 7
before June 1, 2027, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government Article, on the 1
Administration’s: 2
(1) progress in implementing this Act, including the adoption of regulations 3
required under this Act; 4
(2) progress on developing guidance to assist cannabis businesses to comply 5
with this Act; and 6
(3) efforts to ensure uniform enforcement of this Act among cannabis 7
businesses. 8
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 9
July 1, 2026. 10
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.