New Dispensary in St. Mary's: Vote on July 10!

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — On July 10, 2025, the St. Mary's County Board of Appeals will vote on the planned establishment of Southern Waves Dispensary, a cannabis dispensary, in California, Md. If approved, the dispensary will become only the second cannabis dispensary in St. Mary's County, joining Story Cannabis in Mechanicsville, which was established in 2017.

Although recreational marijuana has been legal to sell and consume in Maryland since 2023, the vast majority of the state's 103 cannabis dispensaries are in and around Baltimore and in the counties surrounding Washington, D.C. Currently, Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties have only five total cannabis dispensaries.

The industry has seen significant growth since the legalization, especially in the adult-use market. In July 2023, Maryland reported $52 million in adult-use cannabis revenue, alongside $36 million in medical cannabis sales. By May 2025, monthly adult-use sales had surged to $80 million, while medical use declined to $22 million, reflecting broader consumer trends.

The cannabis industry is now one of the fastest-growing commercial industries in the state and is projected by the Maryland Cannabis Administration to hit $1.629 billion in annual sales by fiscal 2027. As of May 2025, annual sales had already hit $480 million.

The potential for a significant source of tax income has not gone unnoticed by the state government. On July 1, 2025, a 9% sales tax on cannabis was raised to 12% to capitalize on the rapidly growing industry. In 2024, Maryland collected $72 million in cannabis-related taxes. With the new rate and rising sales, that figure is projected to surpass $100 million in 2025 and could reach $120 million or more in the next fiscal year. If the projections for fiscal 2027 are accurate, that number could rise to $200 million.

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