A study released this month shows 40 percent of all disqualifications for Baltimore City Police applicants were due to marijuana use in 2017. Many in the city would like to see that policy revoked.

The Abell Foundation study sighted fewer applicants and low attrition rates as just a few of the reasons why disqualification due to marijuana use should not be considered when evaluating a police applicant.

The department's communications' director, says Commissioner Kevin Davis was at the forefront of the commission of police chiefs to change the marijuana standards in Maryland.

Councilman Ryan Dorsey, vice chairman of the public safety committee and an active proponent of revoking marijuana standards, says while the city council can't legislate the police department, the policy can be changed through the police chiefs' state-wide commission or state legislation.

"To go the route of doing this administratively was because of fear of politicizing the issue in the state legislature," says Dorsey.

The study also says that out of 11 states surveyed--including Maryland--nine do not have a state policy on marijuana use for police officer candidates.

Abell Police Marijuana Report_9_14 WebVersion by Jamyla Krempel on Scribd