Maryland could put the power to legalize marijuana in the hands of voters.
State lawmakers have proposed a constitutional amendment that would let voters decide in 2018 whether to tax and regulate marijuana in the same manner as alcohol — potentially making Maryland the first state in the region with a full-fledged legal marijuana market.
The legislation, which is still being drafted, faces an uphill battle in Annapolis. But it draws from the same political playbook that lawmakers used a decade ago to legalize casinos, and some powerful legislative leaders say they will not stand in the way.