OHIO, USA — Ohio became the 24th state in the U.S. Tuesday to legalize recreational marijuana, following the passage of Issue 2. While the new law will not take effect until Dec. 7, 2023, the vote came at a moment where nearly half of U.S. states have legalized it recreationally, and almost 80% of states have legalized it medicinally.
Across the country, a variety of laws have been enacted with various parameters regarding the amount of cannabis an individual can posses, whether or not they can cultivate it and more. In some states it is fully legal for recreational purposes, in others it is illegal, but decriminalized; and elsewhere it is illegal entirely, barring CBD oils with certain low percentages of THC.
Since California became the first state to legalize medicinal marijuana in 1996, the plant has had a harried history. Below is a list of the legal status of cannabis in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Note that "legal" may have different meanings in each state, especially in regard to the amount someone can legally possess, both recreationally and medicinally.
Additionally, the years listed represent when legalization became effective, which may not necessarily coincide with the year a given measure was passed or signed into law.
Alabama
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2021)
Alaska
- Recreational - Legal (2015)
- Medical - Legal (1998)
Arizona
- Recreational - Legal (2020)
- Medical - Legal (2010)
Arkansas
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2016)
California
- Recreational - Legal (2018)
- Medical - Legal (1996)
Colorado
- Recreational - Legal (2012)
- Medical - Legal (2000)
Connecticut
- Recreational - Legal (2021)
- Medical - Legal (2012)
Delaware
- Recreational - Legal (2023)
- Medical - Legal (2011)
Florida
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2017)
Georgia
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
Hawaii
- Recreational - Illegal, but decriminalized (2020)
- Medical - Legal (2000)
Idaho
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
Illinois
- Recreational - Legal (2020)
- Medical - Legal (2013)
Indiana
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
Iowa
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal up to 4.5 grams (2020)
Kansas
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
Kentucky
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2023)
Louisiana
- Recreational - Illegal but decriminalized (2021)
- Medical - Legal (2015)
Maine
- Recreational - Legal (2016)
- Medical - Legal (1999)
Maryland
- Recreational - Legal (2023)
- Medical - Legal (2017)
Massachusetts
- Recreational - Legal (2016)
- Medical - Legal (2012)
Michigan
- Recreational - Legal (2008)
- Medical - Legal (2008)
Minnesota
- Recreational - Legal (2023)
- Medical - Legal (2015)
Mississippi
- Recreational - Illegal, but decriminalized (1978)
- Medical - Legal (2022)
Missouri
- Recreational - Legal (2022)
- Medical - Legal (2018)
Montana
- Recreational - Legal (2021)
- Medical - Legal (2004)
Nebraska
- Recreational - Illegal, but decriminalized for first-time offender (1979)
- Medical - Illegal
Nevada
- Recreational - Legal (2017)
- Medical - Legal (2001)
New Hampshire
- Recreational - Illegal, but decriminalized (2017)
- Medical - Legal (2013)
New Jersey
- Recreational - Legal (2021)
- Medical - Legal (2010)
New Mexico
- Recreational - Legal (2021)
- Medical - Legal (2007)
New York
- Recreational - Legal (2021)
- Medical - Legal (2014)
North Carolina
- Recreational - Illegal, but decriminalized (1977)
- Medical - Illegal
North Dakota
- Recreational - Illegal, but decriminalized (2019)
- Medical - Legal (2016)
Ohio
- Recreational - Legal after Dec. 7, 2023
- Medical - Legal (2016)
Oklahoma
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2018)
Oregon
- Recreational - Legal (2015)
- Medical - Legal (1998)
Pennsylvania
- Recreational - Illegal, but decriminalized in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
- Medical - Legal (2016)
Rhode Island
- Recreational - Legal (2022)
- Medical - Legal (2006)
South Carolina
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
South Dakota
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2021)
Tennessee
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
Texas
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
Utah
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2018)
Vermont
- Recreational - Legal (2018)
- Medical - Legal (2004)
Virginia
- Recreational - Legal (2021)
- Medical - Legal (1979, expanded in 2015)
Washington
- Recreational - Legal (2012)
- Medical - Legal (1998)
West Virginia
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Legal (2017)
Wisconsin
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
Wyoming
- Recreational - Illegal
- Medical - Illegal
District of Columbia
- Recreational - Legal (2015)
- Medical - Legal (2009)
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