Smell of cannabis can trigger a police search if it’s not the only factor, court rules

By: Will Hammann

Outlets: Maryland Matters

Published: August 1, 2026

Words: 893

Last Updated: 2 days, 4 hours ago

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An odor of marijuana is not normally sufficient cause for police to conduct a search, but it can be if police determine that the occupants of a car are minors and thus prohibited from possessing cannabis, according to a new court ruling.

A three-judge panel of the Appellate Court of Maryland on Thursday upheld the convictions of two teens who were pulled over in separate stops in Worcester County in 2023 and 2024, rejecting the …

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