TOWSON, MD—The Baltimore County government has launched a survey in an effort to determine how cannabis tax revenue should be spent, officials said in a press release.

The survey is part of the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund, which is a state fund that receives revenue from cannabis sales and aims to support low-income communities.

The federal government legalized recreational cannabis in Maryland in 2022. The state revenue from cannabis sales is divided among various funds, with a portion dedicated to the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund. This fund receives revenue from a variety of sources, including the state and local governments, as well as businesses.

“Baltimore County is a large, diverse jurisdiction, and we have a responsibility to ensure that our government serves our communities in an equitable way,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “We look forward to deploying this new funding opportunity in ways that lift up and support communities that have been disproportionally harmed by past practices.”

The Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund, managed and administered via a partnership between the Maryland Office of Social Equity, an independent executive agency established by the Cannabis Reform Act of 2023, and the Office of the Comptroller, is intended to support initiatives that benefit low-income communities and communities that have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition. The fund is open to local jurisdictions in Maryland, and each jurisdiction must enact local legislation establishing the purposes for which the funds can be used.

The Baltimore County government is currently preparing for the distribution of the funds. The survey will provide valuable information to guide the County’s work, officials said. The survey is open through Sunday, May 19 and can be found online here.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.