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Council enacts law barring automatic disqualification for public safety applicants with positive cannabis screens
Summary
The county council enacted CB-16 to forbid the police, fire and EMS departments from disqualifying applicants for uniform positions solely based on a positive screening for cannabis; the bill moved after a reconsideration and additional sponsors were added.
The Prince George’s County Council enacted CB-16 on July 8, 2025, prohibiting the county’s police, fire and EMS departments from disqualifying applicants for uniform positions solely because of a positive screen for cannabis or marijuana.
Supporters said the change is intended to widen the applicant pool for public safety jobs and remove a barrier that can affect recruiting, especially for volunteer and career departments that have faced hiring challenges.
The bill was introduced with sponsors listed as Vice Chair Orietta (sponsor), Ivy, DeNoga and others. There were no public speakers at the hearing. Council members moved to reconsider the measure during the meeting to allow additional sponsorship and votes; Councilmember Adam Stafford and others asked to be added as cosponsors during that reconsideration. After reconsideration, the council adopted the ordinance.
A roll-call vote after reconsideration recorded unanimous support among members present; the clerk announced the motion carried and the legislation was enacted. No implementation date or administrative guidance was included in the hearing record; departments will need to update hiring policies and background-screening procedures to reflect the new prohibition against automatic disqualification.
