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Diversity Lawsuit Filed Against MD Medical Marijuana Panel

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BALTIMORE (AP) - An applicant for a license to grow medical marijuana in Maryland has sued a state commission for allegedly failing to consider racial diversity when the panel named the top 15 finalists.

Court documents show Alternative Medicine Maryland filed the suit Monday in Baltimore Circuit Court. The lawsuit seeks to stop the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission from awarding licenses.

John Pica, who represents Alternative Medicine, said in September that the applicant wants the commission to follow a provision in state law requiring diversity to be considered in the process.

Alternative Medicine is led by Dr. Greg Daniels, a black physician and businessman.

Chairman Dr. Paul Davies has said the commission took "every possible step" to include racial diversity as a weighted component.

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.