Legislation limiting where cannabis dispensaries could operate in Prince George’s County advanced through the county council yesterday, after hours of testimony from residents.

The bill, which centers around zoning for recreational weed retailers, was introduced in July, shortly after adult-use recreational cannabis became legal statewide. Introduced by councilmembers Krystal Oriadha, Edward P. Burroughs, Wala Blegay, and Eric C. Olson, the legislation prevents cannabis dispensaries — whether recreational or medical — from opening within 2,500 feet of daycares, schools, camps, or any Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission land. They would be limited to operating within industrial zones — which can contain manufacturing and some retail sites, but no housing.

“If you put in an industrial zone, we at least keep it out of our local economic centers, right near our homes,” said Councilmember Wala Blegay, who represents District 6, in an interview with DCist/WAMU. “That gives us the opportunity to push for more things that we do want, like fine dining, some sort of marketable retail that can benefit all.”

District 2 councilmember Wanika Fisher had proposed an amendment to the bill, which would have allowed for the dispensaries to operate in commercial zones. But after a lengthy hearing and debate among community members, the amendment failed to pass, and the council ended up advancing the restrictions as-is.

Over the course of four hours, residents espoused concerns about allowing cannabis dispensaries to operate near homes or within other retail hubs, maintaining that it could harm young people, pose a safety risk to the community, and decrease the quality of the county’s shopping centers.

“I find it unconscionable that every ill-fitting thing can find its way into our community, but no grocery stores. No healthy food options. Nothing beneficial to our well-being,” said resident Patrice Murray, testifying in support of the legislation on Tuesday.   

These same concerns prompted the council earlier this year to pass a bill curtailing the proliferation of 24/7 tobacco and smoke shops in the county. Approved in March, the law restricts business hours to 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and only allows tobacco shops to exist in industrial zones. It also required tobacco shops to be at least 300 feet from a school, park, historic site, library, or other special designation.

Other residents testified against the restrictions, claiming the restrictions would build more barriers to entry into the industry for Black and brown cannabis retailers, who have been systematically shut out of the marijuana business and criminalized over its use in the past.

When Maryland first legalized medical marijuana in 2014, not a single Black-0wned business received a license, in a state where Black residents make up a third of the population. With the legalization of recreational weed this year, the state created a special licensing process solely for “social equity applicants” — or those business owners who have lived in an area disproportionately harmed by the criminalization of cannabis.

Advocates speaking on behalf of the industry said the legislation further marginalized those retailers, while simultaneously promoting the same fearful rhetoric around drugs that led to the criminalization of Black county residents.

“This is almost like fear-mongering when a lot of the things I hear just let me know that the propaganda used to push the War on Drugs is still alive and well today,” said Hope Wiseman, who owns Mary and Main, a dispensary in Capitol Heights. “I want to work with the community to ensure that cannabis is in the right hands; however, let it be known it’s already here. If we restrict businesses and perpetuate the fear associated with cannabis, we will just see more issues.”

Councilmember Blegay, who co-sponsored the bill, said she fully supported the legalization of marijuana statewide and advocated for decriminalization — but that the bill is about improving Prince George’s County’s existing amenities by adding what residents are calling for, like grocery stores and dining options.

“I grew up in Southeast D.C., where I saw people who used weed and they were constantly going to jail; decriminalizing was an effort to ensure that we’re not putting our Black and brown, especially men, in jail,” she said. “My concern here is where it can be sold.”

Blegay conducted a survey of her constituents last week and found that 88.6% of the more than 700 respondents did not want a dispensary in their local shopping center.

“We have about 250 shopping centers, maybe 200 of them are places where it’s more a liquor store, tobacco store, and nail shops,” Blegay said. “What I want to do is focus on making our commercial centers more marketable.”

The bill needs one final vote to pass, which is likely to come at the end of November. If passed, there would be a grace period of 24 months to allow for any existing dispensaries to come into compliance. Because the bill is a piece of zoning legislation, it does not need the approval of County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, and would automatically become law after the council’s vote.