Maryland high court steps in but medical cannabis licensing still on hold
BALTIMORE Marylands highest court on Friday intervened in a lawsuit that threatened to upend the states long-awaited medical marijuana program, but whether the state can move forward remains in question.
Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams had scheduled a Friday hearing on whether to grant an injunction to block regulators from authorizing companies to grow marijuana while a lawsuit alleging the state failed to consider racial diversity in setting up the industry was pending.
But Williams abruptly stopped the hearing as soon as it began, citing an order from the Maryland Court of Appeals. The state high court paused the proceedings after an appeal from patients and other pre-licensed marijuana growers who wanted to intervene in the lawsuit. Williams had denied their request, triggering their appeal.
Williams last week ordered the state to temporarily halt licensing marijuana growers until he could hold a full hearing on the matter. Maryland state officials could not immediately say whether they could resume the program because of the high courts ruling.
Its also unclear what the next steps will be for the litigation.
The one-page order from the Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera barred the lower court from holding a hearing on the restraining order until further guidance from her court.
The lawsuit holding everything up was filed by ...
