For the Culture By The Culture
Holiday travel creates a surge in traffic stops that begin with the same old claim: that an officer smelled marijuana. Courts have separated odor from impairment, yet the tactic survives in states that say they support reform. This feature breaks down why the practice continues, how it affects ordinary drivers, and what people can do to protect themselves during the busiest travel season of the year.
In an audacious move that reeks of overreach, Maryland's proposed Drug Free Roadways Act of 2024, led by State Sen. William Folden, seeks to empower police with the controversial authority to search vehicles based solely on the scent of cannabis. Amidst vocal opposition from civil rights advocates and legal defenders, this bill threatens to erode hard-won liberties, igniting a fierce debate over privacy rights, racial profiling, and the evolving landscape of cannabis legalization
