ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced Howard County Government and the Howard County International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 2000 have signed a groundbreaking agreement to permit off-duty usage of medical cannabis by County Department of Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS) uniformed personnel. This agreement is part of a comprehensive revision of DFRS’s Substance Abuse Policy, which had not been revised since 1991.
Effective January 31, 2026, the revised Substance Abuse Policy allows for off-duty DFRS uniformed personnel to use medical cannabis, provided use does not occur 12 hours before reporting to work and a valid medical cannabis authorization form has been presented to the County’s Office of Human Resources. Additional revisions to the policy include new reasonable suspicion testing standards, expanded post-accident testing, and amendments to the current alcohol testing.
Our Department of Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS) uniformed personnel put their lives on the line to protect and serve Howard County residents and visitors. The job is a dangerous one and it comes with an increased risk for cancer, heart and lung disease, and behavioral health conditions, including sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. This policy reinforces our commitment to supporting our members, who display courage, sacrifice, and dedication in order to protect our community. I am thankful for the work my team and Local 2000 collectively put forth to find an avenue that allows for our DFRS members to safely and responsibly use medical cannabis without jeopardizing the operations of the department.
As firefighters and paramedics, our mission is to educate, protect, and serve the residents, members, and visitors of Howard County with professionalism, compassion, and unwavering commitment. This updated policy represents a significant step forward by allowing access to a medication our personnel can use to manage the many physical and mental health conditions that commonly affect our members. We are grateful for the support and collaboration from Howard County in our shared pursuit of maintaining the highest standards of operational readiness through a modern, evidence-based approach to firefighter health and wellness.
“We at Howard County Fire & Rescue continue to place the safety and well-being of our firefighters and emergency medical technicians at the top of our priorities”, said Fire Chief Louis Winston. “In recent years, endeavors have been made to institute novel carcinogen reduction efforts, enhanced wellness benefits, and comprehensive annual physicals. From cancer treatment, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic pain management, we are constantly looking to improve employee welfare.”
“Howard County residents rely on our firefighters and paramedics at times of crisis and emergency, and so it’s important that we step up to revise policies needed to ensure their health and wellness. That’s why, as an occupational health physician, I believe this new policy strikes the right balance between the most current science and safety of the public, while ensuring that our county’s fire and rescue workers have access to necessary treatment modalities in consultation with their doctors to address certain serious medical conditions,” said Clarence Lam, Maryland State Senator. “I appreciate the significant effort of Howard County government and representatives of Local 2000 who worked tirelessly for many months to implement this new policy for the fire and rescue professionals who so ably serve and protect the residents of our county.”
Since taking office in 2018, Ball has ensured DFRS has the funding, staff, and resources it needs to efficiently and effectively respond to each call for help. In 2019, Ball’s administration and DFRS committed to becoming one of the first fire departments in the region to ensure minimum staffing on each piece of fire apparatus. In furtherance of that goal, in August, Ball announced that DFRS is now fully staffed at 589 uniformed personnel, an increase of 123 since 2018. Moreover, to further support DFRS’s operations, the County recently purchased more than 10 new apparatus for the departments.
Finally, the County continues to make progress on Fire Station 15. Located adjacent to Howard County Public School System’s Applications and Research Laboratory and Homewood Campus, this new station will not only improve response times for the whole county, but it will also be the County’s first station to feature classrooms where aspiring students can learn technical skills and explore a future career in firefighting or emergency medical services care.