Bill would add motor vehicle administrator to Maryland cannabis public health advisory council to address impaired driving

House Bill 46 would add the Motor Vehicle Administration administrator, or an agency designee, to the cannabis public health advisory council, the Health and Government Operations Committee heard.

Dr. Timothy Kearns, director of the Maryland Highway Safety Office and the state's Vision Zero coordinator, testified in favor, saying the addition would bring traffic-safety expertise to the council’s work on public-health implications of recreational cannabis use, including impaired driving.

"This bill is about creating a more inclusive and diverse council that will help us to strengthen its core mission to address the many public health issues and the complex challenges of recreational cannabis use, including impaired driving," Kearns said. He added that a traffic-safety expert can inform regulatory recommendations targeting enforcement, education and prevention.

Nut Graf: The cannabis public health advisory council was created to guide the state's public-health approach to recreational cannabis and youth consumption. Supporters told the committee that adding a Motor Vehicle Administration representative will help the council interpret traffic-safety data and craft strategies to reduce cannabis-impaired driving.

During questions, Kearns described ongoing work with the Maryland Cannabis Administration on consistent messaging and said the Highway Safety Office uses a data-driven approach to build strategies and performance measures. He told lawmakers that one commonly recommended precaution is to wait about six hours after consuming cannabis before driving, noting metabolism and method of ingestion can affect impairment duration. He also said the office is aware of emerging technologies that could detect substance use, including research into transdermal detection, but that such tools are not yet broadly available.

Committee members congratulated the council’s creation and encouraged continued education and coordination among agencies. No formal vote was taken at the hearing.

Clarifying details from testimony: the Highway Safety Office recommended a waiting period of about six hours after cannabis consumption before operating a vehicle; the office is collaborating with the Maryland Cannabis Administration on public messaging about impairment; emerging technologies such as transdermal detection for substances were discussed as potential future tools but not yet standard enforcement tools.