AACO Officials Debate Medical Marijuana Legislation

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) – There's a battle heating up in Anne Arundel County over where and even if the county should allow medical marijuana facilities.

Derek Valcourt reports for WJZ.

The county executive doesn't want any and he says county zoning laws can keep them out.

There are lots of regulations governing the upcoming implementation of medical marijuana in Maryland, but Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh thinks the General Assembly got it wrong.

"I believe it will open up the recreational use of marijuana legally on a vast scale in our state," said Schuh.

That's why he's pushing this bill that would in effect ban medical marijuana facilities in the county through zoning laws.

"It will be legal to use it here, you just won't be able to buy it or grow it here," said Schuh.

"We believe the ban would be overturned in court," said Maryland Attorney General, Brian Frosh.

"They can say we don't want them in residential neighborhoods," said Frosh, "We don't want them next to schools or churches, that's fair game. But they can't write a law so that they just flat out exclude them."

Anne Arundel County Executive Owen McEvoy said, "We consulted our county attorney and they respectfully disagree. Their interpretation of the law is that the premiere zoning regulations of any local municipality are to be complied with."

County Councilman Chris Trumbaur believes the medical marijuana facilities should be allowed in the county.

His bill will tightly restrict specific areas they can be located.

So now the entire county council will have to decide whether to prohibit these facilities altogether or allow them under very specific circumstances.

They'll start their public discussion at a meeting on October 19.