A Baltimore judge put Maryland’s medical marijuana industry temporarily on hold Thursday, granting the request of a company that alleged state regulators illegally ignored racial diversity when picking firms to grow the drug.

Circuit Judge Barry Williams said the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission is not permitted to grant any additional marijuana licenses for 10 days. He will decide after a June 2 hearing whether to extend that ban until the conclusion of a lawsuit that asks for the entire application process to begin anew.

The case has been watched closely by medical marijuana firms, regulators and patients because it has potential to upend the entire industry before it gets off the ground.

In his brief ruling, Williams said the 15 preliminary licenses to grow the drug could have been awarded in a manner that was “potentially arbitrary and capricious and possibly unconstitutional.”

The lawyer representing the commission, Assistant Attorney General Heather Nelson, declined to comment. Commission chairman Paul Davies said the ruling only applies to growers licenses and the commission will continue its work. [Read More @ Baltimore Sun]