Ban Marijuana Odor Stops and Searches
The current standards around marijuana odor searches and stops were made under decriminalization. Now, the legislature must adjust the state law to align with the recently passed legalization referendum. Police have long been granted the authority to conduct searches based on something that cannot be categorically proven: a claim based solely on their sense of smell.
These claims have been routinely used to infringe on individuals’ right to privacy and justify racial profiling.
In 2023, the Maryland Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability will work with allies to pass a bill to ensure that police cannot use the odor of marijuana to stop an individual or perform a warrantless search of a vehicle.