We use cookies for certain features and to improve your experience. See our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy to learn more

Leafly

Shop legal, local weed.

Open
advertise on Leafly
ShopDeliveryDispensariesDealsStrainsBrandsProductsCBDDoctorsCannabis 101Social impact
  • Sign in
  • Create account
  • Strains
  • Shop
  • Shop
  • Delivery
  • Deals
  • Dispensaries
  • CBD Stores
  • Brands
  • Products
  • Learn
  • Cannabis 101
  • News
  • Leafly Learn
  • Science of cannabis
  • Doctors
  • Social impact
  • Lab partners
  • Download the Leafly App
  • Advertise on Leafly
    • Leafly.comUSA flag
    • Leafly.caCanadian flag
    • Leafly.deGerman flag
  • Help
  • News
  • Cannabis 101
  • Growing
  • Strains & products
  • CBD
  • Politics
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science & tech
  • Industry
  • Reports
  • Canada
  • Podcasts
  • Leafly Lists
Industry

Data Dive: Breaking Down Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Industry By Race & Gender

Gage PeakePublished on October 6, 2017 · Last updated July 28, 2020
Baltimore, Maryland.

It’s been a long, bumpy road for Maryland’s medical marijuana program, which voters first approved back in 2013.

Access to medical cannabis has been delayed by disputes over how the state awards its dispensary, cultivator, and processor licenses. Some of the potential licensees sued the state and the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) because, according to the potential licensees, MMCC officials did not consider the racial diversity of the applicants, as is required under the original law.

That law was aimed at boosting minority-owned business participation in the state’s developing industry. Historically, people of color have been far more greatly harmed by the war on drugs than white people; yet the owners of cannabis business licenses in America’s emerging legal industry tend to be far more white and male than the population at large.

In Maryland, state courts are currently reviewing two separate cases alleging that state regulators improperly picked grow license winners.

One of the unique aspects of Maryland’s medical marijuana law is a requirement to report and post data on the race, ethnicity, and gender of cannabis business owners and employees. Leafly has translated that data into a number of graphs, below, that give a bit of insight into how the state is doing with its allocation of licenses. For context, the population of Maryland is about 58% white and 42% minority.

According to the data, white men are the most likely demographic group to own a state-licensed cannabis grow operation. As the data point out, only 15% of grow operations are owned by minorities, and 23% are owned by women.

There’s a similar divide among cannabis processors: 27% are owned by women, and 27% are owned by minority entrepreneurs.

Among dispensary owners, the numbers break about 60% male, 40% female.

Here’s a look at the Maryland medical marijuana industry as a whole:

Related Stories

Shop highly rated dispensaries near you

Showing you dispensaries near
See all dispensaries
  • Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
  • Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
  • Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
  • Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
    Loading...Loading...
  • See all dispensaries
See all dispensaries
datamarylandmedical marijuana
Gage Peake
Gage Peake
Gage Peake is a former staff writer for Leafly, where he specialized in data journalism, sports, and breaking news coverage. He's a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
View Gage Peake's articles

The latest in Industry

  • Delivered Inc.: A dispensary at your doorstep image
    Delivered Inc.: A dispensary at your doorstep
    Leafly Staff
  • Green Flash: Delivering Boston’s cannabis future image
    Green Flash: Delivering Boston’s cannabis future
    Leafly Staff
  • Celebrate 420 weekend with cannabis, community, and creativity at MARY FEST NYC image
    Celebrate 420 weekend with cannabis, community, and creativity at MARY FEST NYC
    Leafly Staff
  • America’s top cannabis events of 4/20 2025 image
    America’s top cannabis events of 4/20 2025
    Amelia Williams
Get good reads, local deals, and strain spotlights delivered right to your inbox.

By providing us with your email address, you agree to Leafly's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.



Stay In Touch

Receive updates on new products, special offers, and industry news.

Something went wrong, please try again.

By providing us with your email address, you agree to Leafly’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Leafly mobile app
Get high for less.
Download the Leafly app.
Download Leafly: Marijuana Reviews on the App StoreDownload Leafly Marijuana Reviews on Google Play

Business Solutions
  • List your store
  • List your CBD store
  • List your brand
  • List your practice
  • Business log in

About Leafly
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Investor relations
  • Contact us
  • FAQs
  • Accessibility

Dispensaries in
  • Los Angeles
  • Seattle
  • Portland
  • San Francisco
  • Toronto
  • Detroit

Privacy & Terms
  • Terms of use
  • Commercial terms of use
  • Privacy policy
  • Do not sell my personal information

* Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for individual medical advice.


© 2025 Leafly, LLC
Leafly and the Leafly logo are registered trademarks of Leafly, LLC. All Rights Reserved.