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<section article="gab" article_name="Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis" number="36-410" title_number="36" title_name="Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Cannabis Licensing">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Beginning July 1, 2023, a cannabis licensee that is operating a dispensary shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>ensure that it has adequate supply for qualifying patients and caregivers;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>set aside operating hours or dedicated service lines to serve only qualifying patients and caregivers; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>as supply becomes available as determined by the Administration, ensure that at least 25% of cannabis and cannabis products in the dispensary are from social equity licensees and growers and processors that do not share common ownership with the dispensary.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, a licensed dispensary may not locate within:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>500 feet of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a pre–existing primary or secondary school in the State, or a licensed child care center or registered family child care home under Title 9.5 of the Education Article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a pre–existing playground, recreation center, library, public park, or place of worship; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>1,000 feet of another dispensary under this title.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a political subdivision may adopt an ordinance reducing, but not increasing, the distance requirements under subsection (b) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A political subdivision may by ordinance increase the distance limitation for dispensaries under subsection (b)(2) of this section to not more than one–half mile.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The distance requirements under subsection (b) of this section do not apply to a dispensary license that was:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>converted under § 36–401(b)(1)(ii) of this subtitle; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>properly zoned and operating before July 1, 2023.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A political subdivision may not adopt an ordinance establishing zoning requirements for licensed dispensaries that are more restrictive than zoning requirements for a retail dealer licensed under this article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>A political subdivision may not adopt an ordinance:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>establishing a zoning requirement for a licensed grower cultivating cannabis exclusively outdoors in an area zoned only for agricultural use that is more restrictive than any zoning requirements that existed on June 30, 2023, governing a hemp farm registered under Title 14 of the Agriculture Article in the political subdivision; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>prohibiting outdoor cannabis cultivation on a premises that was properly zoned for outdoor cannabis cultivation on or before June 30, 2023.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>A political subdivision may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>by ordinance, establish a distance limitation for dispensaries of up to 100 feet from an area zoned for residential use; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>apply to dispensaries the distance limitation for licensed alcoholic beverage retailers from an area zoned for residential use.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>A political subdivision shall grant a waiver to an ordinance that provides a distance requirement for dispensaries under this section for a licensed dispensary that was in operation before April 1, 2024.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>A political subdivision that has not adopted an ordinance under subsection (c) of this section before July 1, 2025, is subject to the distance requirements under subsection (b) of this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
