Md. Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis § 36-1101

This is the official text of Md. Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis § 36-1101, part of Maryland’s Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis — regulates the sale and licensing of alcohol and cannabis.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

§36–1101.

Official statutory text

(a) A cannabis licensee may not sell, transfer, or deliver cannabis or cannabis products unless the licensee verifies by means of a valid driver’s license or other government–issued photo identification containing the bearer’s date of birth that:

(1) for adult–use cannabis, the consumer is at least 21 years old; or

(2) for medical cannabis, the patient or caregiver is:

(i) registered with the Administration; and

(ii) at least 18 years old.

(b) (1) (i) Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a licensee that sells, transfers, or delivers cannabis or cannabis products in violation of subsection (a) of this section is subject to a civil penalty of:

1. $500 for a first violation;

2. $1,000 for a second violation occurring within 24 months after the first violation; and

3. $5,000 for each subsequent violation occurring within 24 months after the immediately preceding violation.

(ii) A violation of subsection (a) of this section that occurs more than 24 months after the immediately preceding violation shall be treated as a first violation.

(2) The Administration may deny a cannabis license to an applicant, reprimand a cannabis licensee, or suspend or revoke a cannabis license if the applicant or licensee violates subsection (a) of this section two or more times in a 24–month period.

(3) In a hearing for an alleged violation of this section, it is a defense that an agent of the defendant examined the consumer’s, patient’s, or caregiver’s driver’s license or other valid identification issued by a governmental unit that positively identified the consumer, patient, or caregiver as meeting the minimum age specified in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) (1) A cannabis licensee may not:

(i) sell, transfer, or deliver cannabis to an individual who is visibly intoxicated;

(ii) offer cannabis or cannabis products as a prize, premium, or consideration for a lottery, contest, game of chance, game of skill, or competition of any kind; or

(iii) conduct direct–to–consumer Internet sales of adult–use cannabis on or before July 1, 2025.

(2) A cannabis licensee that violates paragraph (1) of this subsection is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000, suspension or revocation of a license, or both.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in Maryland?

Find a Maryland lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.