Marijuana Legalization Status
Once taboo and difficult to obtain, marijuana is now mainstream in much of the country and legal (at least partially) in a growing percentage of the country. As of March 11, 2019, 33 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws legalizing marijuana for medical and or recreational use. There are 10 states that have passed laws for recreational cannabis use and others that have decriminalized cannabis.
States With Legalized Recreational Marijuana
10 US states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational Marijuana for individuals age 21 & up.
- Alaska: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in February 2015; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- Arizona:
- California: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in November 2016; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- Colorado: (Legalized in 2012; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- District of Columbia: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in 2014; legally possess 1 ounce.)
- Illinois:
- Maine: 2016: legalized recreational marijuana when Question 4 passed by 54%
- Massachusetts: Legal recreational use law has taken effect. (Legalized in November 2016; legally possess up to 1 ounce outside the home, up to 10 ounces inside the home.)
- Michigan: Legal for recreational use (Legalized in 2018; legally possess 2.5 ounces)
- Montana:
- Nevada: Legal recreational use law has taken effect. (Legalized in November 2016; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- New Jersey:
- New Mexico:
- New York:
- Oregon: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in 2014; legally possess 8 ounces at home, 1 ounce on your person.)
- Vermont: Legal for recreational use (Legalized in 2018; legally possess 1 ounce)
- Virginia:
- Washington: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in 2012; legally purchase up to 1 ounce, possess up to 6 ounces.)
States With Legalized Medical Marijuana
Medical Marijuana has recently been adopted in a growing number of states across the United States to treat a wide spectrum of conditions. To obtain medical use cannabis legal doctor’s prescription and allows patients to purchase marijuana
- Alaska: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in February 2015; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- Arizona: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2010; legally possess up to 2.5 ounces)
- Arkansas: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2016; legally possess up to 2.5 ounces)
- California: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in November 2016; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- Colorado: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in 2012; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- Connecticut: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2012; legally possess up to 2.5 ounces)
- Delaware: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2011; legally possess up to 6.5 ounces)
- Florida: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2011; legal possession quantity undecided)
- Hawaii: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2000; legally possess up to 4 ounces)
- Illinois: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2013; legally possess up to 2.5 ounces)
- Louisiana: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2016; legally possess one month’s supply)
- Maine: The state has not yet created rules licensing growers or retailers (Ballot measure was approved in November 2016; legally possess 2.5 ounces.)
- Maryland: Legal for medical, However, since 2014, the possession of 10 grams or less of marijuana has been decriminalized
- Massachusetts: Legal recreational use law has taken effect. (Legalized in November 2016; legally possess up to 1 ounce outside the home, up to 10 ounces inside the home.)
- Michigan: Legal for recreational use (Legalized in 2018; legally possess 2.5 ounces)
- Minnesota: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2014; legally possess one month supply of non-smokable marijuana)
- Missouri: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2018; legally possess 30 day supply)
- Montana: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2004; legally possess up to 1 ounce)
- Nevada: Legal recreational use law has taken effect. (Legalized in November 2016; legally possess up to 1 ounce.)
- New Hampshire: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2013; legally possess up to 2 ounces)
- New Jersey: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2010; legally possess up to 2 ounces)
- New Mexico: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2007; legally possess up to 6 ounces)
- New York: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2014; legally possess 30 day supply of non-smokable marijuana)
- North Dakota: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2016; legally possess up to 3 ounces)
- Ohio: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2016; legally possess 90 day supply)
- Oklahoma: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2018; legally possess up to 3 ounces)
- Oregon: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in 2014; legally possess 8 ounces at home, 1 ounce on your person.)
- Pennsylvania: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2016; legally possess 30 day supply)
- Rhode Island: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2006; legally possess up to 2.5 ounces)
- Utah: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2018; legally possess up to 113 grams)
- Vermont: Legal for recreational & Med use (Legalized in 2018; legally possess 1 ounce)
- Washington: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in 2012; legally purchase up to 1 ounce, possess up to 6 ounces.)
- West Virginia: Marijuana is legal for medical use. (Legalized in 2017; legally possess a 30 day supply)
- District of Columbia: Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use. (Legalized in 2014; legally possess 1 ounce.)