Former Maryland AG Embraces Adult-Use Legalization as Gov. Candidate

Maryland’s former Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced he is runnning for governor and embraced the legalization of adult-use cannabis in his first remarks as a candidate, according to a Maryland Matters report. Additionally, the two-term attorney general and former prosecuting attorney said that expungement should be included in any such legislation.

“Look, it’s time. It will allow us to regulate the product for safety [and] educate people on how to consume it responsibly.” — Douglas F. Gansler, in remarks announcing his candidacy

Joining an already crowded field, Gansler previously ran for the governorship in 2014 but lost after a number of campaign missteps, including being photographed at an underage party hosted by his son at a Delaware beach house.

Regardless of his re-branding challenges, Gansler’s stance on cannabis could play in his favor.

Although Maryland’s adult-use cannabis legislation stalled this year in committee, a super-majority of Marylanders support legalizing adult-use cannabis and the state recently passed the $1 billion milestone in medical cannabis sales.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, the Maryland legislature passed a bill prohibiting police from performing any “stop and frisk” searches based on cannabis odor.