Maryland Governor Signs Law Protecting Fire and Rescue Workers From Medical Marijuana Discrimination
- Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed House Bill 797 into law, protecting fire and rescue public safety employees from discipline or termination solely for their lawful medical marijuana use.
- The law prevents employers from taking adverse actions against firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and related personnel for testing positive for marijuana if they hold valid medical marijuana certification.
- Employers are prohibited from limiting or segregating covered employees in ways that would deny job opportunities due to lawful medical marijuana use, but on-duty use or impairment is still not allowed.
- The bill, passed with strong legislative support, takes effect on October 1, 2026, and does not require employers to violate federal law or risk federal funding.
(Photo credit: Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department).
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) has signed into law legislation that will protect fire and rescue public safety employees from being disciplined or fired solely for their lawful use of medical marijuana.
House Bill 797, filed by Delegate Adrian Boafo (D), prohibits employers from taking adverse action against a covered employee solely because they are registered as a medical marijuana patient or because they test positive for marijuana components or metabolites while holding a valid written certification.
The new law applies to firefighters, emergency medical technicians, cardiac rescue technicians and paramedics employed by a municipal corporation, county, the state, the State Airport Authority or a fire control district.
Under the law, employers will also be barred from limiting, segregating or classifying covered employees in a way that would deny them job opportunities due to lawful medical marijuana use.
The measure does not protect on-duty use or impairment. Employers may still maintain policies prohibiting marijuana use while on duty and barring employees from carrying out job responsibilities while impaired. If a covered employee reports to work impaired by marijuana, the employer must report the incident to the State Emergency Medical Services Board.
The law also does not require an employer to violate federal law or risk losing federal funding, licensing-related benefits or other federal support.
The bill passed the House of Delegates 100 to 31 before clearing the Senate. It takes effect October 1, 2026.