A new program from Anne Arundel County aims to offer grants to individuals and organizations that help people hurt by the criminalization of cannabis.
The grants, which can be for up to $100,000, are overseen by the Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission, a government entity set up following the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2023 that recommends how Anne Arundel should spend its portion of the state’s annual 9% sales tax on cannabis.
Maryland collected more than $72 million from the sales tax on recreational cannabis last year, according to state Comptroller Brooke Lierman. This is the first year Anne Arundel is giving out these grants.
In all, $1.7 million will be distributed by late summer, according to Elisha Harig-Blaine, assistant planning director for Arundel Community Development Services, which administers the grants.
“When Maryland legalized recreational cannabis, we knew it was our responsibility to ensure that the benefits reached the communities most harmed by decades of enforcement,” County Executive Steuart Pittman said in a news release. “The Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission is how we begin to fulfill that promise by directing resources to support mental health, housing, education and jobs in places that need them most.”
The Cannabis Reform Act, which legalized recreational cannabis use in 2023, established where money from the cannabis sales tax goes.
Grant applications are being accepted until Wednesday and range from $20,000 to $100,000.
Projects eligible for the grants must address one of the following areas: mental health and substance abuse; education, youth enrichment or after-school activities; housing and homelessness prevention; or employment training.
According to the county, priority will be given to people in areas disproportionately affected by cannabis criminalization including parts of Glen Burnie, Pasadena, Odenton, Severn, Gambrills, Brooklyn Park, Annapolis, Eastport, Sherwood Forest, Highland Beach, Annapolis Neck and Fort Meade.
The Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission comprises up to 13 Anne Arundel County residents. Nine members are nominated by the county executive, two members are from the County Council and one member is appointed by both the Mayor of Annapolis and Annapolis City Council
“This funding represents a critical investment in community-driven change, one that uplifts local organizations who are not only passionate but deeply intentional in their work,” Shawn Ashworth, Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission chair, said. “By addressing long-standing systemic gaps, this initiative aims to provide equitable, restorative support to communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.”
The county has held application training sessions since last week, with the final one set for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Severn Center.
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