Maryland To Find New Site For Nation’s First-Ever State-Owned Marijuana Incubator Project Following Community Pushback

“The agencies will begin this new process immediately, conduct extensive community and stakeholder engagement, and work quickly to move the project forward.”

By Sam Gauntt, Maryland Matters

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said the state will find a new location for its planned $7 million cannabis incubator project, after local opposition to the original choice at the Maryland National Guard’s William J. Witte Armory in Catonsville.

In a statement Wednesday, Moore said that after further review of the project, he decided that the state “should explore new options” for the incubator’s location. The three agencies leading the project—the Maryland Cannabis Administration, the Department of General Services and the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO)—will immediately begin a new search process to find potential sites.

“As part of their site review, I have instructed the agencies to identify locations that are not within close proximity to residential communities and schools,” Moore wrote. “The agencies will begin this new process immediately, conduct extensive community and stakeholder engagement, and work quickly to move the project forward.”

The announcement comes after the incubator’s planned location drew opposition in recent weeks from some local residents because the site is in a residential area and close to a nearby elementary school, a temple and a day care center.

Catonsville resident Josh Jackson launched a Change.org petition in early June opposing the project and calling for greater transparency from the state throughout the process. The petition notes potential problems of having the incubator in the community, including security concerns from the site’s cannabis storage, nuisance smells and traffic issues.

“Whether or not you support cannabis rights, creating a cannabis incubator, or spending up to $7 million on such a project, the community where this business is to be located should have been informed and should have had their input considered,” the petition read. “There are plenty of other opportunities in the State to create a safe and secure space for business growth in existing commercial or industrial areas after clear communication and public input.”

In a December 2023 report, MEDCO listed 37 locations across the state which were submitted for consideration and reviewed as potential sites for the incubator. Notably, the armory was not included on that list of potential locations.

The project aims to be the country’s first-ever state-owned cannabis incubator. Up to 110 microbusinesses would be able to use the incubator to securely store their product before delivery or to process cannabis products using the building’s shared commercial kitchen and equipment.

Since its legalization for recreational use in 2023, cannabis has become a burgeoning industry in Maryland. There are now more than 100 licensed dispensaries across the state, which have sold more than $480 million in cannabis products so far this year.

This story was first published by Maryland Matters.