Baltimore City Hall.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott signed legislation Thursday allowing authorities to shut down smoke shops that repeatedly sell marijuana without proper authorization, expanding the city’s powers to close businesses engaged in illegal drug sales.
The measure, City Council Bill 26-0193, updates Baltimore’s existing public nuisance laws to explicitly address the illegal distribution and manufacture of marijuana and other controlled substances.
Under the legislation, businesses repeatedly cited for illegal marijuana sales can face proceedings that result in their premises being closed and padlocked for up to one year. Baltimore’s existing public nuisance law generally establishes a threshold of two separate instances of prohibited activity within a 24-month period. The newly signed measure extends the city’s enforcement framework to cover additional marijuana-related violations.
The legislation also provides for administrative review before a closure order is carried out, giving affected business owners an opportunity to contest the allegations. Under the city’s padlock provisions, authorities can order a property closed for the period reasonably necessary to address a public nuisance, with closures limited to one year. Property owners and tenants can also seek modification or rescission of an order.
The legislation was introduced May 11 by City Councilmembers Antonio Glover and Zeke Cohen, with support from several other councilmembers. It advanced through the Committee on Legislative Investigations in September before receiving final council approval on September 28. The measure is intended to address smoke shops operating outside Maryland’s regulated marijuana market, rather than dispensaries authorized to sell marijuana under state law.
Thursday’s signing follows another change to Baltimore’s smoke shop regulations earlier this year. Under the city’s updated zoning ordinance, smoke shops are prohibited from locating within 750 feet of schools, recreation centers, parks or another smoke shop.
