As of this writing, the majority of states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana in some form. Some (currently, 9 states) now allow recreational use and possession. While the vast majority of states allow limited medical marijuana use including cannabis-infused remedies such as oils, other states have stricter laws that allow possession only for select and rare medical conditions. Some states have also decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
What States is Weed Legal in?
At the federal level, marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I substances are thought to have a high potential for dependency and no accepted medical use. This makes distribution of marijuana a federal offense. However, the US Department of Justice announced in 2013 an update to its marijuana enforcement policy. Thus, states where marijuana is now legal (Colorado, Washington, California and others) are expected to create “strong, state-based enforcement efforts” – effectively taking the federal government out of the enforcement picture in those states.
The following is a list of state regulations regarding marijuana possession and use:
Currently, five additional states are expected to legalize recreational marijuana by 2020: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
Check out our full list of country laws.
