Cannabis Legalization
Legalization Across the United States
Which states have legalized Medical and Recreational marijuana.
While 18 states now allow for adult recreational use and 36 allow for medical use, nationwide legalization is still a long journey away. Here’s our guide to the current status of cannabis across the United States
States with recreational use
The first state to ever legalize cannabis use for recreational purposes is of course Colorado, however since their 2012 legalization, 17 other states have joined the fun.
Recreational
Here’s a complete list of states that have fully legalized recreational cannabis use:
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Illinois
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montana
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington, DC
Medical
The first state to ever legalize cannabis use for recreational purposes is of course Colorado, however since their 2012 legalization, 17 other states have joined the fun.
So far, no bills have been filed to make changes to the medical program. However, Sen. Bobby Singleton (D) has again introduced a decriminalization bill
A third group seeking to legalize cannabis for adult recreational use in Arkansas filed a petition for a constitutional amendment with the secretary of state’s office
Delaware Lawmakers just filed a New Marijuana Legalization Bill With Key Equity Revisions
2022 is not likely the year recreational marijuana will be legalized in Florida
Though bills keep getting turned down in the house, voters strongly support legalization
Iowa is lagging behind other states both in the nation as a whole and in its region on marijuana policy
Louisiana’s medical cannabis law initially prohibited inhaled and flower cannabis. However, now whole-plant (flower) and smoking is legal for medical purposes
A bill referring to cannabis legalization is going to Maryland voters on the November 2022 ballot
The house is pro legalization but the senate is blocking every measure
They just legalized medical on February 2, 2022
The Legal Missouri 2022 ballot item would make marijuana legal for those 21 and older
There are new 2022 bills to expand the state’s existing law that decriminalizes low-level cannabis possession and to prevent police from using the smell of marijuana as probable cause for a search
There will likely be an attempt to place legalization on the North Dakota ballot in 2022
The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, a 2022 ballot initiative campaign to legalize cannabis for adults has been submitted for 2022 ballot
A group of legalization proponents kicked off 2022 by filing statutory ballot initiative language to legalize cannabis for adults in Oklahoma later this year
South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws is now collecting signatures to qualify a statutory adult-use legalization initiative for the ballot in 2022
In 2022, lawmakers are looking to improve employment discrimination protections
No new actions to legalize recreational
Illegal
)Here’s a complete list of states that have not legalized cannabis use in any way and what their current status is:
Georgia’s cannabis policy is contrary to public opinion: 2/3 of Georgians believe cannabis possession should be legal, but in 2021 all cannabis bills were killed
A third group seeking to legalize cannabis for adult recreational use in Arkansas filed a petition for a constitutional amendment with the secretary of state’s office
Delaware Lawmakers just filed a New Marijuana Legalization Bill With Key Equity Revisions
2022 is not likely the year recreational marijuana will be legalized in Florida
Though bills keep getting turned down in the house, voters strongly support legalization
Iowa is lagging behind other states both in the nation as a whole and in its region on marijuana policy
Louisiana’s medical cannabis law initially prohibited inhaled and flower cannabis. However, now whole-plant (flower) and smoking is legal for medical purposes
A bill referring to cannabis legalization is going to Maryland voters on the November 2022 ballot
The house is pro legalization but the senate is blocking every measure
They just legalized medical on February 2, 2022
The Legal Missouri 2022 ballot item would make marijuana legal for those 21 and older
There are new 2022 bills to expand the state’s existing law that decriminalizes low-level cannabis possession and to prevent police from using the smell of marijuana as probable cause for a search
There will likely be an attempt to place legalization on the North Dakota ballot in 2022
The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, a 2022 ballot initiative campaign to legalize cannabis for adults has been submitted for 2022 ballot
A group of legalization proponents kicked off 2022 by filing statutory ballot initiative language to legalize cannabis for adults in Oklahoma later this year
South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws is now collecting signatures to qualify a statutory adult-use legalization initiative for the ballot in 2022
In 2022, lawmakers are looking to improve employment discrimination protections
No new actions to legalize recreational
