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Bill to Legalize Pot Paraphernalia

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - It would no longer be a crime to possess marijuana-related paraphernalia in Maryland, under a bill approved by the Maryland General Assembly.

The House of Delegates voted 84-52 on Saturday for the Senate bill, sending it to Gov. Larry Hogan.

Maryland decriminalized possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana last year. That made it a civil offense rather than a criminal one.

However, lawmakers didn't do the same thing for paraphernalia like pipes, so the bill was introduced this session.

The measure also makes smoking marijuana in public a civil offense, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.