🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 181 (from laksa062)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa181.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.businessinsider.com/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.businessinsider.com/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1","crawl_time":1776083437,"first_indexed_time":1518110355,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,businessinsider!www,\/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1 s443","src_root_hash":"15170859634011428381","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"States With Legal Recreational, Medical Marijuana: Map - Business Insider","meta_descriptions":["24 states and Washington, DC have legalized recreational marijuana. Cannabis is legal for medical purposes in 38 states and DC."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Ohio just voted to legalize marijuana.\nCrystal Cox\/Business Insider\n2023-11-09T16:15:34.503Z\nMarijuana is legal for adults in 24 states and Washington, DC. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and DC.\nVoters keep backing legal cannabis, though the drug is still federally illegal.\nOhio is the latest state to legalize recreational cannabis.\nMarijuana legalization\nis spreading around the US. \nOhio just became the latest state to legalize cannabis, pushing the total number of states where adults can legally consume marijuana to 24, along with Washington, DC and Guam. \nLast year, legalization votes failed in deep-red South Dakota, North Dakota, and Arkansas. South Dakota previously voted to legalize cannabis in 2018, but the law was struck down in court. Missouri and Maryland legalized cannabis through ballot measures in the 2022 elections, while Delaware lawmakers did so earlier this year.\nCannabis is still considered an illegal drug by the US federal government.\nCanada legalized marijuana federally in 2018\n.\nSee all the states where marijuana is legal:\nThis article was published in January 2018 and has been updated with new information about where cannabis is legal. It was last updated on November 9, 2023. Melia Russell contributed to an earlier version of this story. \nAlaska\nA cannabis-testing laboratory in Santa Ana, California.\nAP Photo\/Chris Carlson\nAdults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport\nup to an ounce of marijuana\n— roughly a sandwich bag full — for recreational use. The first pot shop \nopened for business\nin 2016.\nAlaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational-pot shops a destination for tourists. More than\n2 million people visit Alaska\n annually and spend $2 billion.\nArizona\nNate McDonald, General Manager of Curaleaf NY operations, talks about medical marijuana plants.\nAP Photo\/Hans Pennink\nArizona\nin 2020 voted to legalize cannabis for all adults over the age of 21\n. \nThe ballot measure was backed by a number of cannabis giants, including Curaleaf, Cresco, and Harvest Enterprises. \nThe Arizona Department of Health Services began accepting applications for adult-use licenses on January 19, 2021, and approvals were issued\njust three days later\n. Sales began immediately.\nArizona rolled out adult-use sales faster than any other state that voted to pass recreational cannabis in those elections. Companies already operating in the state's medical market had a first crack at recreational customers.\nCalifornia\nA MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, on January 2, 2018.\nREUTERS\/Lucy Nicholson\nIn 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana.\nThe law also permits adults 21 and over to buy up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrates, which are found in edibles, and grow no more than six marijuana plants per household.\nColorado\nA marijuana leaf.\nAP Photo\/Ted S. Warren\nIn Colorado, \nthere were more marijuana dispensaries\nthan Starbucks and McDonald's combined. The state joined Washington in becoming the first two states to fully legalize the drug in 2012.\nResidents and tourists over the age of 21 can buy up to 1 ounce of marijuana or 8 grams of concentrates. Some Colorado\ncounties and cities\n have passed more restrictive laws.\nConnecticut\nMarijuana plants\nOlena Ruban\/Getty Images\nOn\nJune 18, 2021\nthe Connecticut legislature legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over and the law took effect on July 1. \nRecreational cannabis is now legal in the state and adults are allowed to\npossess or consume up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana.\nSales aren't expected to begin until the end of 2022, \naccording\n to the state's official website. \nDelaware\nGetty Images; Insider\nIn March 2023, the Delaware Senate passed a pair of bills that would legalize an adult-use cannabis market in the state.\nThe legislation was expected to\nreceive pushback\nfrom Delaware Governor John Carney, who\nvetoed a legalization bill in 2022.\nInstead, Carney\nsaid\nin April that while he still has concerns about legalization, he would allow the bills to become law.\nHouse Bill 1\nlegalizes marijuana use and possession for adults 21 and older in the state but still prohibits individuals from growing cannabis at home or consuming cannabis in public.\nHouse Bill 2\ncreates a framework for a cannabis industry in the state and taps the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement to oversee the new market. Recreational cannabis products will have a 15% sales tax and around half of the tax revenue will be earmarked for the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which will be used to \"improve quality of life for communities most impacted by the prohibition of marijuana and 'war on drugs' era policies.\"\nStores aren't expected to open their doors until August 2024, according to\nWHYY. \nIllinois\nIllinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.\nREUTERS\/Jeenah Moon\nIllinois lawmakers in June 2019 passed a bill that legalized the possession and commercial sale of marijuana starting on January 1, 2020.\nGov. J.B. Pritzker, who made marijuana legalization a core component of his campaign for office, signed the bill into law.\nIllinois is the one of the few states to legalize marijuana sales through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative.\nMaine\nHarvested cannabis plants at Hexo Corp.'s facilities in Gatineau, Quebec, on September 26, 2018.\nREUTERS\/Chris Wattie\nA ballot initiative in 2016 gave Maine residents the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states.\nMaryland\nhis May 20, 2019, file photo, shows a marijuana leaf on a plant at a cannabis grow in Gardena, California.\nAP Photo\/Richard Vogel\nVoters in Maryland\npassed cannabis legalization\nby a large margin, with over 65% in favor, in 2022. The legislation makes the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis legal for adults over the age of 21.\nAdults will also be allowed to grow up to two cannabis plants at home, and the legislation will remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession of up to 2.5 ounces. \nIn April 2023, Maryland lawmakers\nfinalized details\nfor the state's new recreational cannabis market. Adults 21 and older in the state are allowed to purchase cannabis from retailers as of July 1.\nMassachusetts\nMedicinal cannabis cigarettes on July 12, 2018, at a cultivation facility in Milford, Massachusetts.\nSteven Senne\/AP\nMassachusetts was the first state on the East Coast to legalize marijuana after voters approved the measure in 2016.\nMarijuana dispensaries opened their doors to consumers in November 2018. Adults over the age of 21 can purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana but cannot consume it in public.\nMichigan\nThe Far West Holistic Center dispensary on November 7, 2018, in Detroit.\nAP Photo\/Carlos Osorio\nVoters in Michigan passed Proposition 1 in 2018, making it the first state in the Midwest to\nlegalize the possession and sale of marijuana\nfor adults over the age of 21. Adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and residents can grow up to 12 plants at home.\nMissouri\nTomas Bravo\/Reuters\nMissourians voted to\nlegalize cannabis\nwith over 53% in favor. Missouri's legislation allows adults over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of cannabis, grow six plants at home, and levies a 6% tax on recreational cannabis sales in the state.\nThat tax revenue will be used to automatically expunge the records of nonviolent marijuana offenders in the state.\nIn February 2023, cannabis dispensaries\nbegan recreational sales\nin the state. \nMontana\nA CPlant employee organizes a box of hemp for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.\nAP Photo\/Matilde Campodonico\nMontana\nin 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over\n. \nMontana residents are officially allowed to use marijuana as of January 1, 2021. At the start of 2022, the state allowed stores to begin sales.\nNevada\nThe Essence cannabis dispensary on July 1, 2017, in Las Vegas.\nJohn Locher\/AP\nResidents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy 1 ounce of marijuana or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada.\nThere's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents \nmust live 25 miles outside\nthe nearest dispensary to be eligible for a grower's license.\nNew Jersey\nA CPlant employee trims a hemp flower for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.\nAP Photo\/Matilde Campodonico\nNew Jersey in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, opening a market that could near $1 billion.\nIn February 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legalization legislation, after months of back-and-forth arguments about criminal penalties for minors possessing marijuana and the proper way to set up a licensing framework for cannabis sales in the state, among other details.\nCannabis shops opened their doors in the Garden State this year. \nNew Mexico\nA participant in a study on the effects of cannabis, shows the marijuana flowers he has grown in his backyard, in Longmont, Colorado, U.S., December 19, 2019.\nREUTERS\/Kevin Mohatt\nGov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state's legalization bill in April, after convening a special session of the legislature to hammer out the details.\nThe law took effect June 29 — allowing state residents to possess and consume marijuana — and recreational started on April 1.\nNew York\nA man holds a sign at a pro-legalization rally outside of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office in Manhattan\nErik McGregor\/LightRocket via Getty Images\nAfter two failed attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis in New York, the state finally passed recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021.\nNew Yorkers are now able to possess and smoke cannabis legally.\nOhio\nOhioans voted in November 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana.\nJoshua A. Bickel\/AP Photo\nOhio residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis in the November 2023 elections, making Ohio the latest red state to favor legalization. The law takes effect in 30 days. The state's market could be worth $4 billion, according to\nMarijuana Business Daily\n.\nOregon\nOregon's Finest medical-marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon, on April 8, 2014.\nAnthony Bolante\/Reuters\nOregon legalized marijuana in 2015, and sales in the state started October 1 of that year. \nRhode Island\nREUTERS\/Jorge Dan Lopez\nRhode Island's governor signed legal marijuana into law in May 2022. The law includes expungement of past cannabis convictions. \nVermont\nCannabis plants in a laboratory.\nLeonhard Foeger\/Reuters\nVermont became the first state to \nlegalize marijuana through the legislature\n, rather than a ballot initiative, when Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law in January 2018.\nAdults in the Green Mountain State can carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana and grow no more than two plants for recreational use. The law went into effect in July 2018. But it was limited in scope. It didn't establish a legal market for the production and sale of the drug.\nIn 2020, the state legislature\npassed a bill\nthat would allow for adult-use sales in the state. All localities must opt-in to allow for dispensaries, however. \nRetail cannabis sales began in Vermont earlier this year. \nVirginia\nAP Photo\/Steven Senne, File\nA majority of state legislators in Virginia approved then-Gov. Ralph Northam's suggestion to legalize the consumption, possession, and cultivation of marijuana on July 1, 2021 years earlier than the initial legislation intended.\nWashington\nA medical-marijuana plantation on March 21, 2017.\nREUTERS\/Nir Elias\nMarijuana was legalized for recreational use in Washington in 2012.\nThe state allows people to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but they must\nuse the drug for medicinal purposes\n to be eligible for a grower's license.\nWashington, DC\nAP\nResidents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2014.\nThe bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess 2 ounces or less of marijuana and \"gift\" up to an ounce, if neither money\nnor goods or services are exchanged\n.\nMarijuana\nCannabis\nIBM-block\nMore\nCrystal Cox\nRead 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See a list of every state where cannabis is legal.\nBy   [Jeremy Berke](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/author\/jeremy-berke)  ,   [Shayanne Gal](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/author\/shayanne-gal)  , and   [Yeji Jesse Lee](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/author\/yeji-jesse-lee)\n\n![medical marijuana cbd hemp weed smoking joint leafly flowers cannabis cox 82](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5e97617a15ea4b7054557784?width=700)\n\nOhio just voted to legalize marijuana.  Crystal Cox\/Business Insider\n\n2023-11-09T16:15:34.503Z\n\nShare\n\nCopy link\n\n[Email](<mailto:?subject=Ohio just voted to legalize recreational marijuana. See a list of every state where cannabis is legal.&body=Ohio%20just%20voted%20to%20legalize%20recreational%20marijuana.%20See%20a%20list%20of%20every%20state%20where%20cannabis%20is%20legal.%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Flegal-marijuana-states-2018-1&> \"Email\")\n\nFacebook\n\nWhatsApp\n\nX\n\nLinkedIn\n\nBluesky\n\nThreads\n\nAn icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.\n\nImpact Link\n\nSave Saved\n\n[Read in app](https:\/\/insider-app.onelink.me\/4cpG\/?af_js_web=true&af_ss_ver=2_3_0&af_dp=insider%3A%2F%2Fbi%2Fpost%2Flegal-marijuana-states-2018-1&af_force_deeplink=true&is_retargeting=true&deep_link_value=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Flegal-marijuana-states-2018-1&pid=businessinsider&c=post_page_share_bar_v2_smart_4.13.23 \"Download the app\")\n\n- Marijuana is legal for adults in 24 states and Washington, DC. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and DC.\n- Voters keep backing legal cannabis, though the drug is still federally illegal.\n- Ohio is the latest state to legalize recreational cannabis.\n\n[Marijuana legalization](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/cannabis) is spreading around the US.\n\nOhio just became the latest state to legalize cannabis, pushing the total number of states where adults can legally consume marijuana to 24, along with Washington, DC and Guam.\n\nLast year, legalization votes failed in deep-red South Dakota, North Dakota, and Arkansas. South Dakota previously voted to legalize cannabis in 2018, but the law was struck down in court. Missouri and Maryland legalized cannabis through ballot measures in the 2022 elections, while Delaware lawmakers did so earlier this year.\n\nCannabis is still considered an illegal drug by the US federal government.\n\n[Canada legalized marijuana federally in 2018](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/canada-legal-marijuana-sales-start-on-october-17-2018-10).\n\n### See all the states where marijuana is legal:\n*This article was published in January 2018 and has been updated with new information about where cannabis is legal. It was last updated on November 9, 2023. Melia Russell contributed to an earlier version of this story.*\n\n## Alaska\n![cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5bae8c763d9ef70f318b456d?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA cannabis-testing laboratory in Santa Ana, California.  AP Photo\/Chris Carlson\n\nAdults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport [up to an ounce of marijuana](https:\/\/www.adn.com\/alaska-marijuana\/2017\/05\/22\/the-tourists-guide-to-navigating-alaskas-legal-marijuana-market\/) — roughly a sandwich bag full — for recreational use. The first pot shop [opened for business](https:\/\/www.adn.com\/alaska-marijuana\/2016\/10\/29\/anticipation-builds-as-alaskas-first-marijuana-store-set-to-open-to-the-public\/) in 2016.\n\nAlaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational-pot shops a destination for tourists. More than [2 million people visit Alaska](https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/nation\/2017\/07\/31\/marijuana-alaska-tourists\/506947001\/) annually and spend \\$2 billion.\n\n## Arizona\n![Curaleaf](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5f1b10a8f0f419147731467e?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nNate McDonald, General Manager of Curaleaf NY operations, talks about medical marijuana plants.  AP Photo\/Hans Pennink\n\nArizona [in 2020 voted to legalize cannabis for all adults over the age of 21](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/arizona-legalized-cannabis-marijuana-vote-what-you-need-to-know-2020-10).\n\nThe ballot measure was backed by a number of cannabis giants, including Curaleaf, Cresco, and Harvest Enterprises.\n\nThe Arizona Department of Health Services began accepting applications for adult-use licenses on January 19, 2021, and approvals were issued [just three days later](https:\/\/www.azdhs.gov\/licensing\/marijuana\/adult-use-marijuana\/index.php). Sales began immediately.\n\nArizona rolled out adult-use sales faster than any other state that voted to pass recreational cannabis in those elections. Companies already operating in the state's medical market had a first crack at recreational customers.\n\n## California\n![cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5a72486959d432270f8b4c11?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, on January 2, 2018.  REUTERS\/Lucy Nicholson\n\nIn 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana.\n\nThe law also permits adults 21 and over to buy up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrates, which are found in edibles, and grow no more than six marijuana plants per household.\n\n## Colorado\n![marijuana](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5bca1fea3762f631de2163c6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA marijuana leaf.  AP Photo\/Ted S. Warren\n\nIn Colorado, [there were more marijuana dispensaries](http:\/\/www.bostonmagazine.com\/news\/blog\/2016\/08\/26\/massachusetts-marijuana-mcdonalds-starbucks\/) than Starbucks and McDonald's combined. The state joined Washington in becoming the first two states to fully legalize the drug in 2012.\n\nResidents and tourists over the age of 21 can buy up to 1 ounce of marijuana or 8 grams of concentrates. Some Colorado [counties and cities](https:\/\/www.colorado.gov\/pacific\/marijuana\/home-grow-laws) have passed more restrictive laws.\n\n## Connecticut\n![weed thc marijuana cbd cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/608c62dd34af8d001859a5c9?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nMarijuana plants  Olena Ruban\/Getty Images\n\nOn [June 18, 2021](https:\/\/en.as.com\/en\/2021\/07\/08\/latest_news\/1625704459_924256.html) the Connecticut legislature legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over and the law took effect on July 1.\n\nRecreational cannabis is now legal in the state and adults are allowed to [possess or consume up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana.](https:\/\/www.nbcconnecticut.com\/news\/local\/key-dates-in-connecticuts-new-cannabis-legislation\/2522672\/) Sales aren't expected to begin until the end of 2022, [according](https:\/\/portal.ct.gov\/cannabis\/Knowledge-Base\/Articles\/What-is-in-effect-now?language=en_US) to the state's official website.\n\n## Delaware\n![marijuana elections](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/644a9f09edc7ea0018330ea6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nGetty Images; Insider\n\nIn March 2023, the Delaware Senate passed a pair of bills that would legalize an adult-use cannabis market in the state.\n\nThe legislation was expected to [receive pushback](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/marijuana-legalization-delaware-47f23ded696e13737fbdd82f17e02247) from Delaware Governor John Carney, who [vetoed a legalization bill in 2022.](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/health-dover-marijuana-legalization-government-and-politics-fcc67976a41183e105ffd5b1370b05be) Instead, Carney [said](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/delaware-marijuana-legalization-carney-e64e3396afa773d19f7f96add7a8e28d?taid=6442eb8327c97d00016467a7&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter) in April that while he still has concerns about legalization, he would allow the bills to become law.\n\n[House Bill 1](https:\/\/legis.delaware.gov\/BillDetail?legislationId=129970) legalizes marijuana use and possession for adults 21 and older in the state but still prohibits individuals from growing cannabis at home or consuming cannabis in public. [House Bill 2](https:\/\/legis.delaware.gov\/BillDetail?legislationId=129969) creates a framework for a cannabis industry in the state and taps the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement to oversee the new market. Recreational cannabis products will have a 15% sales tax and around half of the tax revenue will be earmarked for the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which will be used to \"improve quality of life for communities most impacted by the prohibition of marijuana and 'war on drugs' era policies.\"\n\nStores aren't expected to open their doors until August 2024, according to [WHYY.](https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/delaware-marijuana-legalization-veto-carney\/)\n\n## Illinois\n![JB Pritzker](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5cf7da7f11e20515db6ee402?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nIllinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.  REUTERS\/Jeenah Moon\n\nIllinois lawmakers in June 2019 passed a bill that legalized the possession and commercial sale of marijuana starting on January 1, 2020.\n\nGov. J.B. Pritzker, who made marijuana legalization a core component of his campaign for office, signed the bill into law.\n\nIllinois is the one of the few states to legalize marijuana sales through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative.\n\n## Maine\n![marijuana](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5bc61c91dff09415d5455f83?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nHarvested cannabis plants at Hexo Corp.'s facilities in Gatineau, Quebec, on September 26, 2018.  REUTERS\/Chris Wattie\n\nA ballot initiative in 2016 gave Maine residents the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states.\n\n## Maryland\n![Cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5d7be98f2e22af20f2350b34?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nhis May 20, 2019, file photo, shows a marijuana leaf on a plant at a cannabis grow in Gardena, California.  AP Photo\/Richard Vogel\n\nVoters in Maryland [passed cannabis legalization](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/results-maryland-question-4-legalize-marijuana-usage-and-possession-2022-11) by a large margin, with over 65% in favor, in 2022. The legislation makes the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis legal for adults over the age of 21.\n\nAdults will also be allowed to grow up to two cannabis plants at home, and the legislation will remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession of up to 2.5 ounces.\n\nIn April 2023, Maryland lawmakers [finalized details](https:\/\/www.thebaltimorebanner.com\/politics-power\/state-government\/recreational-cannabis-sales-legislation-3CTB4FNZOFCHFKUJXRZNTLT7JU\/?schk=YES&rchk=YES&utm_source=The+Baltimore+Banner&utm_campaign=2c56aee9e8-NL_ALRT_20230408_1615&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2c56aee9e8-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=2c56aee9e8&mc_eid=e6438f5eb1) for the state's new recreational cannabis market. Adults 21 and older in the state are allowed to purchase cannabis from retailers as of July 1.\n\n## Massachusetts\n![cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5babe022a135a2a0788b456f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nMedicinal cannabis cigarettes on July 12, 2018, at a cultivation facility in Milford, Massachusetts.  Steven Senne\/AP\n\nMassachusetts was the first state on the East Coast to legalize marijuana after voters approved the measure in 2016.\n\nMarijuana dispensaries opened their doors to consumers in November 2018. Adults over the age of 21 can purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana but cannot consume it in public.\n\n## Michigan\n![marijuana](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5c2e6917bd77304d5a742679?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nThe Far West Holistic Center dispensary on November 7, 2018, in Detroit.  AP Photo\/Carlos Osorio\n\nVoters in Michigan passed Proposition 1 in 2018, making it the first state in the Midwest to [legalize the possession and sale of marijuana](https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Michigan_Proposal_1,_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_\$2018\$) for adults over the age of 21. Adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and residents can grow up to 12 plants at home.\n\n## Missouri\n![marijuana](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/52e2a68fecad04903436f639?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nTomas Bravo\/Reuters\n\nMissourians voted to [legalize cannabis](https:\/\/www.legalmo22.com\/initiative) with over 53% in favor. Missouri's legislation allows adults over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of cannabis, grow six plants at home, and levies a 6% tax on recreational cannabis sales in the state.\n\nThat tax revenue will be used to automatically expunge the records of nonviolent marijuana offenders in the state.\n\nIn February 2023, cannabis dispensaries [began recreational sales](https:\/\/www.kcur.org\/news\/2023-02-03\/legal-weed-available-missouri-recreational-marijuana-where-to-buy-kansas-city-amendment-3) in the state.\n\n## Montana\n![Cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5f68cbb7323fc4001e0d779f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA CPlant employee organizes a box of hemp for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.  AP Photo\/Matilde Campodonico\n\nMontana [in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/montana-legalized-recreational-marijuana-results-timeline-2020-10).\n\nMontana residents are officially allowed to use marijuana as of January 1, 2021. At the start of 2022, the state allowed stores to begin sales.\n\n## Nevada\n![marijuana recreational dispensary las vegas nevada](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5963bc62d9fccd42008b5439?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nThe Essence cannabis dispensary on July 1, 2017, in Las Vegas.  John Locher\/AP\n\nResidents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy 1 ounce of marijuana or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada.\n\nThere's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents [must live 25 miles outside](http:\/\/lasvegassun.com\/news\/2017\/jan\/03\/some-answers-for-your-questions-on-recreational-ma\/) the nearest dispensary to be eligible for a grower's license.\n\n## New Jersey\n![cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5f4ebb7fe6ff30001d4e67e6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA CPlant employee trims a hemp flower for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.  AP Photo\/Matilde Campodonico\n\nNew Jersey in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, opening a market that could near \\$1 billion.\n\nIn February 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legalization legislation, after months of back-and-forth arguments about criminal penalties for minors possessing marijuana and the proper way to set up a licensing framework for cannabis sales in the state, among other details.\n\nCannabis shops opened their doors in the Garden State this year.\n\n## New Mexico\n![Marijuana Cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5ff75fef6d61c10019cce35a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA participant in a study on the effects of cannabis, shows the marijuana flowers he has grown in his backyard, in Longmont, Colorado, U.S., December 19, 2019.  REUTERS\/Kevin Mohatt\n\nGov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state's legalization bill in April, after convening a special session of the legislature to hammer out the details.\n\nThe law took effect June 29 — allowing state residents to possess and consume marijuana — and recreational started on April 1.\n\n## New York\n![new york when is weed legal timeline](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/60666d84902281001950ab5a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA man holds a sign at a pro-legalization rally outside of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office in Manhattan  Erik McGregor\/LightRocket via Getty Images\n\nAfter two failed attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis in New York, the state finally passed recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021.\n\nNew Yorkers are now able to possess and smoke cannabis legally.\n\n## Ohio\n![A green yard sign supporting the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Ohio](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/654ce3fab788914e555324ff?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nOhioans voted in November 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana.  Joshua A. Bickel\/AP Photo\n\nOhio residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis in the November 2023 elections, making Ohio the latest red state to favor legalization. The law takes effect in 30 days. The state's market could be worth \\$4 billion, according to [Marijuana Business Daily](https:\/\/mjbizdaily.com\/ohio-votes-on-adult-use-marijuana-legalization-lawmakers-may-be-hurdle).\n\n## Oregon\n![marijuana cannabis cost Canada United States](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5b0723651ae66230008b4cf8?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nOregon's Finest medical-marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon, on April 8, 2014.  Anthony Bolante\/Reuters\n\nOregon legalized marijuana in 2015, and sales in the state started October 1 of that year.\n\n## Rhode Island\n![Marijuana](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/528f92826da811181a546a6b?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nREUTERS\/Jorge Dan Lopez\n\nRhode Island's governor signed legal marijuana into law in May 2022. The law includes expungement of past cannabis convictions.\n\n## Vermont\n![cannabis](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5b92dd1204f16238008b5ab3?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nCannabis plants in a laboratory.  Leonhard Foeger\/Reuters\n\nVermont became the first state to [legalize marijuana through the legislature](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/vermont-state-senate-passes-marijuana-legalization-bill-rebukes-sessions-2018-1), rather than a ballot initiative, when Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law in January 2018.\n\nAdults in the Green Mountain State can carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana and grow no more than two plants for recreational use. The law went into effect in July 2018. But it was limited in scope. It didn't establish a legal market for the production and sale of the drug.\n\nIn 2020, the state legislature [passed a bill](https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/laws-and-regulations\/vermont) that would allow for adult-use sales in the state. All localities must opt-in to allow for dispensaries, however.\n\nRetail cannabis sales began in Vermont earlier this year.\n\n## Virginia\n![a convention visitor examines a marijuana sample at the New England Cannabis Convention in Boston.](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fd8cb81dc030c001aab6a08?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nAP Photo\/Steven Senne, File\n\nA majority of state legislators in Virginia approved then-Gov. Ralph Northam's suggestion to legalize the consumption, possession, and cultivation of marijuana on July 1, 2021 years earlier than the initial legislation intended.\n\n## Washington\n![medical marijuana](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5b3537f80f465757008b475a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA medical-marijuana plantation on March 21, 2017.  REUTERS\/Nir Elias\n\nMarijuana was legalized for recreational use in Washington in 2012.\n\nThe state allows people to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but they must [use the drug for medicinal purposes](http:\/\/www.criminaldefenselawyer.com\/resources\/can-i-grow-marijuana-my-own-personal-use-washington.h) to be eligible for a grower's license.\n\n## Washington, DC\n![Capitol Hill sunset](<data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C\/svg%3E>)\n\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/59de1d2292406c21008b5b53?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nAP\n\nResidents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2014.\n\nThe bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess 2 ounces or less of marijuana and \"gift\" up to an ounce, if neither money [nor goods or services are exchanged](https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/marijuana).\n### Recommended video\n- 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[Main content](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1#post-headline)\n2. [Search](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1#search)\n3. [Account](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1#account)\n4. [Jump to top of page](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/)","attrs_readable_markdown":"![medical marijuana cbd hemp weed smoking joint leafly flowers cannabis cox 82](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5e97617a15ea4b7054557784?width=700)\n\nOhio just voted to legalize marijuana.  Crystal Cox\/Business Insider\n\n2023-11-09T16:15:34.503Z\n\n- Marijuana is legal for adults in 24 states and Washington, DC. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and DC.\n- Voters keep backing legal cannabis, though the drug is still federally illegal.\n- Ohio is the latest state to legalize recreational cannabis.\n\n[Marijuana legalization](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/cannabis) is spreading around the US.\n\nOhio just became the latest state to legalize cannabis, pushing the total number of states where adults can legally consume marijuana to 24, along with Washington, DC and Guam.\n\nLast year, legalization votes failed in deep-red South Dakota, North Dakota, and Arkansas. South Dakota previously voted to legalize cannabis in 2018, but the law was struck down in court. Missouri and Maryland legalized cannabis through ballot measures in the 2022 elections, while Delaware lawmakers did so earlier this year.\n\nCannabis is still considered an illegal drug by the US federal government.\n\n[Canada legalized marijuana federally in 2018](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/canada-legal-marijuana-sales-start-on-october-17-2018-10).\n\n### See all the states where marijuana is legal:\n*This article was published in January 2018 and has been updated with new information about where cannabis is legal. It was last updated on November 9, 2023. Melia Russell contributed to an earlier version of this story.*\n\n## Alaska\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5bae8c763d9ef70f318b456d?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA cannabis-testing laboratory in Santa Ana, California.  AP Photo\/Chris Carlson\n\nAdults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport [up to an ounce of marijuana](https:\/\/www.adn.com\/alaska-marijuana\/2017\/05\/22\/the-tourists-guide-to-navigating-alaskas-legal-marijuana-market\/) — roughly a sandwich bag full — for recreational use. The first pot shop [opened for business](https:\/\/www.adn.com\/alaska-marijuana\/2016\/10\/29\/anticipation-builds-as-alaskas-first-marijuana-store-set-to-open-to-the-public\/) in 2016.\n\nAlaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational-pot shops a destination for tourists. More than [2 million people visit Alaska](https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/nation\/2017\/07\/31\/marijuana-alaska-tourists\/506947001\/) annually and spend \\$2 billion.\n\n## Arizona\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5f1b10a8f0f419147731467e?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nNate McDonald, General Manager of Curaleaf NY operations, talks about medical marijuana plants.  AP Photo\/Hans Pennink\n\nArizona [in 2020 voted to legalize cannabis for all adults over the age of 21](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/arizona-legalized-cannabis-marijuana-vote-what-you-need-to-know-2020-10).\n\nThe ballot measure was backed by a number of cannabis giants, including Curaleaf, Cresco, and Harvest Enterprises.\n\nThe Arizona Department of Health Services began accepting applications for adult-use licenses on January 19, 2021, and approvals were issued [just three days later](https:\/\/www.azdhs.gov\/licensing\/marijuana\/adult-use-marijuana\/index.php). Sales began immediately.\n\nArizona rolled out adult-use sales faster than any other state that voted to pass recreational cannabis in those elections. Companies already operating in the state's medical market had a first crack at recreational customers.\n\n## California\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5a72486959d432270f8b4c11?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, on January 2, 2018.  REUTERS\/Lucy Nicholson\n\nIn 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana.\n\nThe law also permits adults 21 and over to buy up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrates, which are found in edibles, and grow no more than six marijuana plants per household.\n\n## Colorado\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5bca1fea3762f631de2163c6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA marijuana leaf.  AP Photo\/Ted S. Warren\n\nIn Colorado, [there were more marijuana dispensaries](http:\/\/www.bostonmagazine.com\/news\/blog\/2016\/08\/26\/massachusetts-marijuana-mcdonalds-starbucks\/) than Starbucks and McDonald's combined. The state joined Washington in becoming the first two states to fully legalize the drug in 2012.\n\nResidents and tourists over the age of 21 can buy up to 1 ounce of marijuana or 8 grams of concentrates. Some Colorado [counties and cities](https:\/\/www.colorado.gov\/pacific\/marijuana\/home-grow-laws) have passed more restrictive laws.\n\n## Connecticut\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/608c62dd34af8d001859a5c9?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nMarijuana plants  Olena Ruban\/Getty Images\n\nOn [June 18, 2021](https:\/\/en.as.com\/en\/2021\/07\/08\/latest_news\/1625704459_924256.html) the Connecticut legislature legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over and the law took effect on July 1.\n\nRecreational cannabis is now legal in the state and adults are allowed to [possess or consume up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana.](https:\/\/www.nbcconnecticut.com\/news\/local\/key-dates-in-connecticuts-new-cannabis-legislation\/2522672\/) Sales aren't expected to begin until the end of 2022, [according](https:\/\/portal.ct.gov\/cannabis\/Knowledge-Base\/Articles\/What-is-in-effect-now?language=en_US) to the state's official website.\n\n## Delaware\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/644a9f09edc7ea0018330ea6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nGetty Images; Insider\n\nIn March 2023, the Delaware Senate passed a pair of bills that would legalize an adult-use cannabis market in the state.\n\nThe legislation was expected to [receive pushback](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/marijuana-legalization-delaware-47f23ded696e13737fbdd82f17e02247) from Delaware Governor John Carney, who [vetoed a legalization bill in 2022.](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/health-dover-marijuana-legalization-government-and-politics-fcc67976a41183e105ffd5b1370b05be) Instead, Carney [said](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/delaware-marijuana-legalization-carney-e64e3396afa773d19f7f96add7a8e28d?taid=6442eb8327c97d00016467a7&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter) in April that while he still has concerns about legalization, he would allow the bills to become law.\n\n[House Bill 1](https:\/\/legis.delaware.gov\/BillDetail?legislationId=129970) legalizes marijuana use and possession for adults 21 and older in the state but still prohibits individuals from growing cannabis at home or consuming cannabis in public. [House Bill 2](https:\/\/legis.delaware.gov\/BillDetail?legislationId=129969) creates a framework for a cannabis industry in the state and taps the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement to oversee the new market. Recreational cannabis products will have a 15% sales tax and around half of the tax revenue will be earmarked for the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which will be used to \"improve quality of life for communities most impacted by the prohibition of marijuana and 'war on drugs' era policies.\"\n\nStores aren't expected to open their doors until August 2024, according to [WHYY.](https:\/\/whyy.org\/articles\/delaware-marijuana-legalization-veto-carney\/)\n\n## Illinois\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5cf7da7f11e20515db6ee402?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nIllinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.  REUTERS\/Jeenah Moon\n\nIllinois lawmakers in June 2019 passed a bill that legalized the possession and commercial sale of marijuana starting on January 1, 2020.\n\nGov. J.B. Pritzker, who made marijuana legalization a core component of his campaign for office, signed the bill into law.\n\nIllinois is the one of the few states to legalize marijuana sales through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative.\n\n## Maine\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5bc61c91dff09415d5455f83?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nHarvested cannabis plants at Hexo Corp.'s facilities in Gatineau, Quebec, on September 26, 2018.  REUTERS\/Chris Wattie\n\nA ballot initiative in 2016 gave Maine residents the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states.\n\n## Maryland\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5d7be98f2e22af20f2350b34?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nhis May 20, 2019, file photo, shows a marijuana leaf on a plant at a cannabis grow in Gardena, California.  AP Photo\/Richard Vogel\n\nVoters in Maryland [passed cannabis legalization](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/results-maryland-question-4-legalize-marijuana-usage-and-possession-2022-11) by a large margin, with over 65% in favor, in 2022. The legislation makes the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis legal for adults over the age of 21.\n\nAdults will also be allowed to grow up to two cannabis plants at home, and the legislation will remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession of up to 2.5 ounces.\n\nIn April 2023, Maryland lawmakers [finalized details](https:\/\/www.thebaltimorebanner.com\/politics-power\/state-government\/recreational-cannabis-sales-legislation-3CTB4FNZOFCHFKUJXRZNTLT7JU\/?schk=YES&rchk=YES&utm_source=The+Baltimore+Banner&utm_campaign=2c56aee9e8-NL_ALRT_20230408_1615&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2c56aee9e8-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=2c56aee9e8&mc_eid=e6438f5eb1) for the state's new recreational cannabis market. Adults 21 and older in the state are allowed to purchase cannabis from retailers as of July 1.\n\n## Massachusetts\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5babe022a135a2a0788b456f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nMedicinal cannabis cigarettes on July 12, 2018, at a cultivation facility in Milford, Massachusetts.  Steven Senne\/AP\n\nMassachusetts was the first state on the East Coast to legalize marijuana after voters approved the measure in 2016.\n\nMarijuana dispensaries opened their doors to consumers in November 2018. Adults over the age of 21 can purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana but cannot consume it in public.\n\n## Michigan\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5c2e6917bd77304d5a742679?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nThe Far West Holistic Center dispensary on November 7, 2018, in Detroit.  AP Photo\/Carlos Osorio\n\nVoters in Michigan passed Proposition 1 in 2018, making it the first state in the Midwest to [legalize the possession and sale of marijuana](https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Michigan_Proposal_1,_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_\$2018\$) for adults over the age of 21. Adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and residents can grow up to 12 plants at home.\n\n## Missouri\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/52e2a68fecad04903436f639?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nTomas Bravo\/Reuters\n\nMissourians voted to [legalize cannabis](https:\/\/www.legalmo22.com\/initiative) with over 53% in favor. Missouri's legislation allows adults over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of cannabis, grow six plants at home, and levies a 6% tax on recreational cannabis sales in the state.\n\nThat tax revenue will be used to automatically expunge the records of nonviolent marijuana offenders in the state.\n\nIn February 2023, cannabis dispensaries [began recreational sales](https:\/\/www.kcur.org\/news\/2023-02-03\/legal-weed-available-missouri-recreational-marijuana-where-to-buy-kansas-city-amendment-3) in the state.\n\n## Montana\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5f68cbb7323fc4001e0d779f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA CPlant employee organizes a box of hemp for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.  AP Photo\/Matilde Campodonico\n\nMontana [in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/montana-legalized-recreational-marijuana-results-timeline-2020-10).\n\nMontana residents are officially allowed to use marijuana as of January 1, 2021. At the start of 2022, the state allowed stores to begin sales.\n\n## Nevada\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5963bc62d9fccd42008b5439?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nThe Essence cannabis dispensary on July 1, 2017, in Las Vegas.  John Locher\/AP\n\nResidents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy 1 ounce of marijuana or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada.\n\nThere's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents [must live 25 miles outside](http:\/\/lasvegassun.com\/news\/2017\/jan\/03\/some-answers-for-your-questions-on-recreational-ma\/) the nearest dispensary to be eligible for a grower's license.\n\n## New Jersey\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5f4ebb7fe6ff30001d4e67e6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA CPlant employee trims a hemp flower for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020.  AP Photo\/Matilde Campodonico\n\nNew Jersey in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, opening a market that could near \\$1 billion.\n\nIn February 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legalization legislation, after months of back-and-forth arguments about criminal penalties for minors possessing marijuana and the proper way to set up a licensing framework for cannabis sales in the state, among other details.\n\nCannabis shops opened their doors in the Garden State this year.\n\n## New Mexico\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5ff75fef6d61c10019cce35a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA participant in a study on the effects of cannabis, shows the marijuana flowers he has grown in his backyard, in Longmont, Colorado, U.S., December 19, 2019.  REUTERS\/Kevin Mohatt\n\nGov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state's legalization bill in April, after convening a special session of the legislature to hammer out the details.\n\nThe law took effect June 29 — allowing state residents to possess and consume marijuana — and recreational started on April 1.\n\n## New York\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/60666d84902281001950ab5a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA man holds a sign at a pro-legalization rally outside of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office in Manhattan  Erik McGregor\/LightRocket via Getty Images\n\nAfter two failed attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis in New York, the state finally passed recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021.\n\nNew Yorkers are now able to possess and smoke cannabis legally.\n\n## Ohio\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/654ce3fab788914e555324ff?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nOhioans voted in November 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana.  Joshua A. Bickel\/AP Photo\n\nOhio residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis in the November 2023 elections, making Ohio the latest red state to favor legalization. The law takes effect in 30 days. The state's market could be worth \\$4 billion, according to [Marijuana Business Daily](https:\/\/mjbizdaily.com\/ohio-votes-on-adult-use-marijuana-legalization-lawmakers-may-be-hurdle).\n\n## Oregon\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5b0723651ae66230008b4cf8?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nOregon's Finest medical-marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon, on April 8, 2014.  Anthony Bolante\/Reuters\n\nOregon legalized marijuana in 2015, and sales in the state started October 1 of that year.\n\n## Rhode Island\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/528f92826da811181a546a6b?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nREUTERS\/Jorge Dan Lopez\n\nRhode Island's governor signed legal marijuana into law in May 2022. The law includes expungement of past cannabis convictions.\n\n## Vermont\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5b92dd1204f16238008b5ab3?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nCannabis plants in a laboratory.  Leonhard Foeger\/Reuters\n\nVermont became the first state to [legalize marijuana through the legislature](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/vermont-state-senate-passes-marijuana-legalization-bill-rebukes-sessions-2018-1), rather than a ballot initiative, when Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law in January 2018.\n\nAdults in the Green Mountain State can carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana and grow no more than two plants for recreational use. The law went into effect in July 2018. But it was limited in scope. It didn't establish a legal market for the production and sale of the drug.\n\nIn 2020, the state legislature [passed a bill](https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/laws-and-regulations\/vermont) that would allow for adult-use sales in the state. All localities must opt-in to allow for dispensaries, however.\n\nRetail cannabis sales began in Vermont earlier this year.\n\n## Virginia\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fd8cb81dc030c001aab6a08?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nAP Photo\/Steven Senne, File\n\nA majority of state legislators in Virginia approved then-Gov. Ralph Northam's suggestion to legalize the consumption, possession, and cultivation of marijuana on July 1, 2021 years earlier than the initial legislation intended.\n\n## Washington\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5b3537f80f465757008b475a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nA medical-marijuana plantation on March 21, 2017.  REUTERS\/Nir Elias\n\nMarijuana was legalized for recreational use in Washington in 2012.\n\nThe state allows people to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but they must [use the drug for medicinal purposes](http:\/\/www.criminaldefenselawyer.com\/resources\/can-i-grow-marijuana-my-own-personal-use-washington.h) to be eligible for a grower's license.\n\n## Washington, DC\n![](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/59de1d2292406c21008b5b53?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)\n\nAP\n\nResidents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2014.\n\nThe bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess 2 ounces or less of marijuana and \"gift\" up to an ounce, if neither money [nor goods or services are exchanged](https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/marijuana).\n\n- [Marijuana](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/category\/marijuana \"Marijuana\")\n- [Cannabis](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/category\/cannabis \"Cannabis\")\n- [IBM-block](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/category\/ibm-block \"IBM-block\")\n- More\n- [Crystal Cox](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/category\/crystal-cox \"Crystal Cox\")\n\nRead next","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Ohio just voted to legalize marijuana. Crystal Cox/Business Insider 2023-11-09T16:15:34.503Z Marijuana is legal for adults in 24 states and Washington, DC. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and DC. Voters keep backing legal cannabis, though the drug is still federally illegal. Ohio is the latest state to legalize recreational cannabis. Marijuana legalization is spreading around the US. Ohio just became the latest state to legalize cannabis, pushing the total number of states where adults can legally consume marijuana to 24, along with Washington, DC and Guam. Last year, legalization votes failed in deep-red South Dakota, North Dakota, and Arkansas. South Dakota previously voted to legalize cannabis in 2018, but the law was struck down in court. Missouri and Maryland legalized cannabis through ballot measures in the 2022 elections, while Delaware lawmakers did so earlier this year. Cannabis is still considered an illegal drug by the US federal government. Canada legalized marijuana federally in 2018 . See all the states where marijuana is legal: This article was published in January 2018 and has been updated with new information about where cannabis is legal. It was last updated on November 9, 2023. Melia Russell contributed to an earlier version of this story. Alaska A cannabis-testing laboratory in Santa Ana, California. AP Photo/Chris Carlson Adults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport up to an ounce of marijuana — roughly a sandwich bag full — for recreational use. The first pot shop opened for business in 2016. Alaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational-pot shops a destination for tourists. More than 2 million people visit Alaska annually and spend $2 billion. Arizona Nate McDonald, General Manager of Curaleaf NY operations, talks about medical marijuana plants. AP Photo/Hans Pennink Arizona in 2020 voted to legalize cannabis for all adults over the age of 21 . The ballot measure was backed by a number of cannabis giants, including Curaleaf, Cresco, and Harvest Enterprises. The Arizona Department of Health Services began accepting applications for adult-use licenses on January 19, 2021, and approvals were issued just three days later . Sales began immediately. Arizona rolled out adult-use sales faster than any other state that voted to pass recreational cannabis in those elections. Companies already operating in the state's medical market had a first crack at recreational customers. California A MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, on January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana. The law also permits adults 21 and over to buy up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrates, which are found in edibles, and grow no more than six marijuana plants per household. Colorado A marijuana leaf. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren In Colorado, there were more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks and McDonald's combined. The state joined Washington in becoming the first two states to fully legalize the drug in 2012. Residents and tourists over the age of 21 can buy up to 1 ounce of marijuana or 8 grams of concentrates. Some Colorado counties and cities have passed more restrictive laws. Connecticut Marijuana plants Olena Ruban/Getty Images On June 18, 2021 the Connecticut legislature legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over and the law took effect on July 1. Recreational cannabis is now legal in the state and adults are allowed to possess or consume up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana. Sales aren't expected to begin until the end of 2022, according to the state's official website. Delaware Getty Images; Insider In March 2023, the Delaware Senate passed a pair of bills that would legalize an adult-use cannabis market in the state. The legislation was expected to receive pushback from Delaware Governor John Carney, who vetoed a legalization bill in 2022. Instead, Carney said in April that while he still has concerns about legalization, he would allow the bills to become law. House Bill 1 legalizes marijuana use and possession for adults 21 and older in the state but still prohibits individuals from growing cannabis at home or consuming cannabis in public. House Bill 2 creates a framework for a cannabis industry in the state and taps the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement to oversee the new market. Recreational cannabis products will have a 15% sales tax and around half of the tax revenue will be earmarked for the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which will be used to "improve quality of life for communities most impacted by the prohibition of marijuana and 'war on drugs' era policies." Stores aren't expected to open their doors until August 2024, according to WHYY. Illinois Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon Illinois lawmakers in June 2019 passed a bill that legalized the possession and commercial sale of marijuana starting on January 1, 2020. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who made marijuana legalization a core component of his campaign for office, signed the bill into law. Illinois is the one of the few states to legalize marijuana sales through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative. Maine Harvested cannabis plants at Hexo Corp.'s facilities in Gatineau, Quebec, on September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie A ballot initiative in 2016 gave Maine residents the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states. Maryland his May 20, 2019, file photo, shows a marijuana leaf on a plant at a cannabis grow in Gardena, California. AP Photo/Richard Vogel Voters in Maryland passed cannabis legalization by a large margin, with over 65% in favor, in 2022. The legislation makes the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis legal for adults over the age of 21. Adults will also be allowed to grow up to two cannabis plants at home, and the legislation will remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession of up to 2.5 ounces. In April 2023, Maryland lawmakers finalized details for the state's new recreational cannabis market. Adults 21 and older in the state are allowed to purchase cannabis from retailers as of July 1. Massachusetts Medicinal cannabis cigarettes on July 12, 2018, at a cultivation facility in Milford, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP Massachusetts was the first state on the East Coast to legalize marijuana after voters approved the measure in 2016. Marijuana dispensaries opened their doors to consumers in November 2018. Adults over the age of 21 can purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana but cannot consume it in public. Michigan The Far West Holistic Center dispensary on November 7, 2018, in Detroit. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio Voters in Michigan passed Proposition 1 in 2018, making it the first state in the Midwest to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana for adults over the age of 21. Adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and residents can grow up to 12 plants at home. Missouri Tomas Bravo/Reuters Missourians voted to legalize cannabis with over 53% in favor. Missouri's legislation allows adults over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of cannabis, grow six plants at home, and levies a 6% tax on recreational cannabis sales in the state. That tax revenue will be used to automatically expunge the records of nonviolent marijuana offenders in the state. In February 2023, cannabis dispensaries began recreational sales in the state. Montana A CPlant employee organizes a box of hemp for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico Montana in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over . Montana residents are officially allowed to use marijuana as of January 1, 2021. At the start of 2022, the state allowed stores to begin sales. Nevada The Essence cannabis dispensary on July 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. John Locher/AP Residents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy 1 ounce of marijuana or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada. There's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents must live 25 miles outside the nearest dispensary to be eligible for a grower's license. New Jersey A CPlant employee trims a hemp flower for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico New Jersey in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, opening a market that could near $1 billion. In February 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legalization legislation, after months of back-and-forth arguments about criminal penalties for minors possessing marijuana and the proper way to set up a licensing framework for cannabis sales in the state, among other details. Cannabis shops opened their doors in the Garden State this year. New Mexico A participant in a study on the effects of cannabis, shows the marijuana flowers he has grown in his backyard, in Longmont, Colorado, U.S., December 19, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state's legalization bill in April, after convening a special session of the legislature to hammer out the details. The law took effect June 29 — allowing state residents to possess and consume marijuana — and recreational started on April 1. New York A man holds a sign at a pro-legalization rally outside of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office in Manhattan Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images After two failed attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis in New York, the state finally passed recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021. New Yorkers are now able to possess and smoke cannabis legally. Ohio Ohioans voted in November 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana. Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo Ohio residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis in the November 2023 elections, making Ohio the latest red state to favor legalization. The law takes effect in 30 days. The state's market could be worth $4 billion, according to Marijuana Business Daily . Oregon Oregon's Finest medical-marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon, on April 8, 2014. Anthony Bolante/Reuters Oregon legalized marijuana in 2015, and sales in the state started October 1 of that year. Rhode Island REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez Rhode Island's governor signed legal marijuana into law in May 2022. The law includes expungement of past cannabis convictions. Vermont Cannabis plants in a laboratory. Leonhard Foeger/Reuters Vermont became the first state to legalize marijuana through the legislature , rather than a ballot initiative, when Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law in January 2018. Adults in the Green Mountain State can carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana and grow no more than two plants for recreational use. The law went into effect in July 2018. But it was limited in scope. It didn't establish a legal market for the production and sale of the drug. In 2020, the state legislature passed a bill that would allow for adult-use sales in the state. All localities must opt-in to allow for dispensaries, however. Retail cannabis sales began in Vermont earlier this year. Virginia AP Photo/Steven Senne, File A majority of state legislators in Virginia approved then-Gov. Ralph Northam's suggestion to legalize the consumption, possession, and cultivation of marijuana on July 1, 2021 years earlier than the initial legislation intended. Washington A medical-marijuana plantation on March 21, 2017. REUTERS/Nir Elias Marijuana was legalized for recreational use in Washington in 2012. The state allows people to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but they must use the drug for medicinal purposes to be eligible for a grower's license. Washington, DC AP Residents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2014. The bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess 2 ounces or less of marijuana and "gift" up to an ounce, if neither money nor goods or services are exchanged . Marijuana Cannabis IBM-block More Crystal Cox Read next
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See a list of every state where cannabis is legal. By [Jeremy Berke](https://www.businessinsider.com/author/jeremy-berke) , [Shayanne Gal](https://www.businessinsider.com/author/shayanne-gal) , and [Yeji Jesse Lee](https://www.businessinsider.com/author/yeji-jesse-lee) ![medical marijuana cbd hemp weed smoking joint leafly flowers cannabis cox 82](https://i.insider.com/5e97617a15ea4b7054557784?width=700) Ohio just voted to legalize marijuana. Crystal Cox/Business Insider 2023-11-09T16:15:34.503Z Share Copy link [Email](<mailto:?subject=Ohio just voted to legalize recreational marijuana. See a list of every state where cannabis is legal.&body=Ohio%20just%20voted%20to%20legalize%20recreational%20marijuana.%20See%20a%20list%20of%20every%20state%20where%20cannabis%20is%20legal.%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Flegal-marijuana-states-2018-1&> "Email") Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Save Saved [Read in app](https://insider-app.onelink.me/4cpG/?af_js_web=true&af_ss_ver=2_3_0&af_dp=insider%3A%2F%2Fbi%2Fpost%2Flegal-marijuana-states-2018-1&af_force_deeplink=true&is_retargeting=true&deep_link_value=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Flegal-marijuana-states-2018-1&pid=businessinsider&c=post_page_share_bar_v2_smart_4.13.23 "Download the app") - Marijuana is legal for adults in 24 states and Washington, DC. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and DC. - Voters keep backing legal cannabis, though the drug is still federally illegal. - Ohio is the latest state to legalize recreational cannabis. [Marijuana legalization](https://www.businessinsider.com/cannabis) is spreading around the US. Ohio just became the latest state to legalize cannabis, pushing the total number of states where adults can legally consume marijuana to 24, along with Washington, DC and Guam. Last year, legalization votes failed in deep-red South Dakota, North Dakota, and Arkansas. South Dakota previously voted to legalize cannabis in 2018, but the law was struck down in court. Missouri and Maryland legalized cannabis through ballot measures in the 2022 elections, while Delaware lawmakers did so earlier this year. Cannabis is still considered an illegal drug by the US federal government. [Canada legalized marijuana federally in 2018](https://www.businessinsider.com/canada-legal-marijuana-sales-start-on-october-17-2018-10). ### See all the states where marijuana is legal: This article was published in January 2018 and has been updated with new information about where cannabis is legal. It was last updated on November 9, 2023. Melia Russell contributed to an earlier version of this story. ## Alaska ![cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5bae8c763d9ef70f318b456d?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A cannabis-testing laboratory in Santa Ana, California. AP Photo/Chris Carlson Adults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport [up to an ounce of marijuana](https://www.adn.com/alaska-marijuana/2017/05/22/the-tourists-guide-to-navigating-alaskas-legal-marijuana-market/) — roughly a sandwich bag full — for recreational use. The first pot shop [opened for business](https://www.adn.com/alaska-marijuana/2016/10/29/anticipation-builds-as-alaskas-first-marijuana-store-set-to-open-to-the-public/) in 2016. Alaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational-pot shops a destination for tourists. More than [2 million people visit Alaska](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/07/31/marijuana-alaska-tourists/506947001/) annually and spend \$2 billion. ## Arizona ![Curaleaf](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5f1b10a8f0f419147731467e?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Nate McDonald, General Manager of Curaleaf NY operations, talks about medical marijuana plants. AP Photo/Hans Pennink Arizona [in 2020 voted to legalize cannabis for all adults over the age of 21](https://www.businessinsider.com/arizona-legalized-cannabis-marijuana-vote-what-you-need-to-know-2020-10). The ballot measure was backed by a number of cannabis giants, including Curaleaf, Cresco, and Harvest Enterprises. The Arizona Department of Health Services began accepting applications for adult-use licenses on January 19, 2021, and approvals were issued [just three days later](https://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/marijuana/adult-use-marijuana/index.php). Sales began immediately. Arizona rolled out adult-use sales faster than any other state that voted to pass recreational cannabis in those elections. Companies already operating in the state's medical market had a first crack at recreational customers. ## California ![cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5a72486959d432270f8b4c11?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, on January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana. The law also permits adults 21 and over to buy up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrates, which are found in edibles, and grow no more than six marijuana plants per household. ## Colorado ![marijuana](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5bca1fea3762f631de2163c6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A marijuana leaf. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren In Colorado, [there were more marijuana dispensaries](http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2016/08/26/massachusetts-marijuana-mcdonalds-starbucks/) than Starbucks and McDonald's combined. The state joined Washington in becoming the first two states to fully legalize the drug in 2012. Residents and tourists over the age of 21 can buy up to 1 ounce of marijuana or 8 grams of concentrates. Some Colorado [counties and cities](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/marijuana/home-grow-laws) have passed more restrictive laws. ## Connecticut ![weed thc marijuana cbd cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/608c62dd34af8d001859a5c9?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Marijuana plants Olena Ruban/Getty Images On [June 18, 2021](https://en.as.com/en/2021/07/08/latest_news/1625704459_924256.html) the Connecticut legislature legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over and the law took effect on July 1. Recreational cannabis is now legal in the state and adults are allowed to [possess or consume up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana.](https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/key-dates-in-connecticuts-new-cannabis-legislation/2522672/) Sales aren't expected to begin until the end of 2022, [according](https://portal.ct.gov/cannabis/Knowledge-Base/Articles/What-is-in-effect-now?language=en_US) to the state's official website. ## Delaware ![marijuana elections](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/644a9f09edc7ea0018330ea6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Getty Images; Insider In March 2023, the Delaware Senate passed a pair of bills that would legalize an adult-use cannabis market in the state. The legislation was expected to [receive pushback](https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-legalization-delaware-47f23ded696e13737fbdd82f17e02247) from Delaware Governor John Carney, who [vetoed a legalization bill in 2022.](https://apnews.com/article/health-dover-marijuana-legalization-government-and-politics-fcc67976a41183e105ffd5b1370b05be) Instead, Carney [said](https://apnews.com/article/delaware-marijuana-legalization-carney-e64e3396afa773d19f7f96add7a8e28d?taid=6442eb8327c97d00016467a7&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter) in April that while he still has concerns about legalization, he would allow the bills to become law. [House Bill 1](https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=129970) legalizes marijuana use and possession for adults 21 and older in the state but still prohibits individuals from growing cannabis at home or consuming cannabis in public. [House Bill 2](https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=129969) creates a framework for a cannabis industry in the state and taps the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement to oversee the new market. Recreational cannabis products will have a 15% sales tax and around half of the tax revenue will be earmarked for the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which will be used to "improve quality of life for communities most impacted by the prohibition of marijuana and 'war on drugs' era policies." Stores aren't expected to open their doors until August 2024, according to [WHYY.](https://whyy.org/articles/delaware-marijuana-legalization-veto-carney/) ## Illinois ![JB Pritzker](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5cf7da7f11e20515db6ee402?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon Illinois lawmakers in June 2019 passed a bill that legalized the possession and commercial sale of marijuana starting on January 1, 2020. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who made marijuana legalization a core component of his campaign for office, signed the bill into law. Illinois is the one of the few states to legalize marijuana sales through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative. ## Maine ![marijuana](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5bc61c91dff09415d5455f83?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Harvested cannabis plants at Hexo Corp.'s facilities in Gatineau, Quebec, on September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie A ballot initiative in 2016 gave Maine residents the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states. ## Maryland ![Cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5d7be98f2e22af20f2350b34?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) his May 20, 2019, file photo, shows a marijuana leaf on a plant at a cannabis grow in Gardena, California. AP Photo/Richard Vogel Voters in Maryland [passed cannabis legalization](https://www.businessinsider.com/results-maryland-question-4-legalize-marijuana-usage-and-possession-2022-11) by a large margin, with over 65% in favor, in 2022. The legislation makes the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis legal for adults over the age of 21. Adults will also be allowed to grow up to two cannabis plants at home, and the legislation will remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession of up to 2.5 ounces. In April 2023, Maryland lawmakers [finalized details](https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/recreational-cannabis-sales-legislation-3CTB4FNZOFCHFKUJXRZNTLT7JU/?schk=YES&rchk=YES&utm_source=The+Baltimore+Banner&utm_campaign=2c56aee9e8-NL_ALRT_20230408_1615&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2c56aee9e8-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=2c56aee9e8&mc_eid=e6438f5eb1) for the state's new recreational cannabis market. Adults 21 and older in the state are allowed to purchase cannabis from retailers as of July 1. ## Massachusetts ![cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5babe022a135a2a0788b456f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Medicinal cannabis cigarettes on July 12, 2018, at a cultivation facility in Milford, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP Massachusetts was the first state on the East Coast to legalize marijuana after voters approved the measure in 2016. Marijuana dispensaries opened their doors to consumers in November 2018. Adults over the age of 21 can purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana but cannot consume it in public. ## Michigan ![marijuana](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5c2e6917bd77304d5a742679?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) The Far West Holistic Center dispensary on November 7, 2018, in Detroit. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio Voters in Michigan passed Proposition 1 in 2018, making it the first state in the Midwest to [legalize the possession and sale of marijuana](https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_Proposal_1,_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_$2018$) for adults over the age of 21. Adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and residents can grow up to 12 plants at home. ## Missouri ![marijuana](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/52e2a68fecad04903436f639?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Tomas Bravo/Reuters Missourians voted to [legalize cannabis](https://www.legalmo22.com/initiative) with over 53% in favor. Missouri's legislation allows adults over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of cannabis, grow six plants at home, and levies a 6% tax on recreational cannabis sales in the state. That tax revenue will be used to automatically expunge the records of nonviolent marijuana offenders in the state. In February 2023, cannabis dispensaries [began recreational sales](https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-03/legal-weed-available-missouri-recreational-marijuana-where-to-buy-kansas-city-amendment-3) in the state. ## Montana ![Cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5f68cbb7323fc4001e0d779f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A CPlant employee organizes a box of hemp for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico Montana [in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over](https://www.businessinsider.com/montana-legalized-recreational-marijuana-results-timeline-2020-10). Montana residents are officially allowed to use marijuana as of January 1, 2021. At the start of 2022, the state allowed stores to begin sales. ## Nevada ![marijuana recreational dispensary las vegas nevada](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5963bc62d9fccd42008b5439?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) The Essence cannabis dispensary on July 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. John Locher/AP Residents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy 1 ounce of marijuana or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada. There's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents [must live 25 miles outside](http://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/jan/03/some-answers-for-your-questions-on-recreational-ma/) the nearest dispensary to be eligible for a grower's license. ## New Jersey ![cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5f4ebb7fe6ff30001d4e67e6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A CPlant employee trims a hemp flower for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico New Jersey in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, opening a market that could near \$1 billion. In February 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legalization legislation, after months of back-and-forth arguments about criminal penalties for minors possessing marijuana and the proper way to set up a licensing framework for cannabis sales in the state, among other details. Cannabis shops opened their doors in the Garden State this year. ## New Mexico ![Marijuana Cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5ff75fef6d61c10019cce35a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A participant in a study on the effects of cannabis, shows the marijuana flowers he has grown in his backyard, in Longmont, Colorado, U.S., December 19, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state's legalization bill in April, after convening a special session of the legislature to hammer out the details. The law took effect June 29 — allowing state residents to possess and consume marijuana — and recreational started on April 1. ## New York ![new york when is weed legal timeline](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/60666d84902281001950ab5a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A man holds a sign at a pro-legalization rally outside of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office in Manhattan Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images After two failed attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis in New York, the state finally passed recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021. New Yorkers are now able to possess and smoke cannabis legally. ## Ohio ![A green yard sign supporting the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Ohio](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/654ce3fab788914e555324ff?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Ohioans voted in November 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana. Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo Ohio residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis in the November 2023 elections, making Ohio the latest red state to favor legalization. The law takes effect in 30 days. The state's market could be worth \$4 billion, according to [Marijuana Business Daily](https://mjbizdaily.com/ohio-votes-on-adult-use-marijuana-legalization-lawmakers-may-be-hurdle). ## Oregon ![marijuana cannabis cost Canada United States](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5b0723651ae66230008b4cf8?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Oregon's Finest medical-marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon, on April 8, 2014. Anthony Bolante/Reuters Oregon legalized marijuana in 2015, and sales in the state started October 1 of that year. ## Rhode Island ![Marijuana](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/528f92826da811181a546a6b?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez Rhode Island's governor signed legal marijuana into law in May 2022. The law includes expungement of past cannabis convictions. ## Vermont ![cannabis](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5b92dd1204f16238008b5ab3?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Cannabis plants in a laboratory. Leonhard Foeger/Reuters Vermont became the first state to [legalize marijuana through the legislature](https://www.businessinsider.com/vermont-state-senate-passes-marijuana-legalization-bill-rebukes-sessions-2018-1), rather than a ballot initiative, when Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law in January 2018. Adults in the Green Mountain State can carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana and grow no more than two plants for recreational use. The law went into effect in July 2018. But it was limited in scope. It didn't establish a legal market for the production and sale of the drug. In 2020, the state legislature [passed a bill](https://weedmaps.com/learn/laws-and-regulations/vermont) that would allow for adult-use sales in the state. All localities must opt-in to allow for dispensaries, however. Retail cannabis sales began in Vermont earlier this year. ## Virginia ![a convention visitor examines a marijuana sample at the New England Cannabis Convention in Boston.](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5fd8cb81dc030c001aab6a08?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) AP Photo/Steven Senne, File A majority of state legislators in Virginia approved then-Gov. Ralph Northam's suggestion to legalize the consumption, possession, and cultivation of marijuana on July 1, 2021 years earlier than the initial legislation intended. ## Washington ![medical marijuana](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/5b3537f80f465757008b475a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A medical-marijuana plantation on March 21, 2017. REUTERS/Nir Elias Marijuana was legalized for recreational use in Washington in 2012. The state allows people to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but they must [use the drug for medicinal purposes](http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/can-i-grow-marijuana-my-own-personal-use-washington.h) to be eligible for a grower's license. ## Washington, DC ![Capitol Hill sunset](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://i.insider.com/59de1d2292406c21008b5b53?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) AP Residents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2014. The bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess 2 ounces or less of marijuana and "gift" up to an ounce, if neither money [nor goods or services are exchanged](https://mpdc.dc.gov/marijuana). ### Recommended video - [Marijuana](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/marijuana "Marijuana") - [Cannabis](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/cannabis "Cannabis") - [IBM-block](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ibm-block "IBM-block") - More - [Crystal Cox](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/crystal-cox "Crystal Cox") ## Read next ![](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know ![](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know ![](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know ![](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know [HOME](https://www.businessinsider.com/) [Subscribe](https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription "Subscribe") [![Business Insider](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/stacked-black.svg)](https://www.businessinsider.com/ "Visit Business Insider") [![Download on the App Store](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/badges/app-store-badge.svg)](https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id554260576?mt=8) [![Get it on Google Play](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/badges/google-play-badge.svg)](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freerange360.mpp.businessinsider) Legal & Privacy - [Terms of Service](https://www.businessinsider.com/terms) - [Terms of Sale](https://www.businessinsider.com/terms-of-sale) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/privacy-policy) - [Accessibility](https://www.businessinsider.com/accessibility) - [Code of Ethics Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/code-of-ethics) - [Reprints & Permissions](https://www.parsintl.com/publication/business-insider/) - [Disclaimer](https://www.businessinsider.com/disclaimer) - [Advertising Policies](https://www.businessinsider.com/advertising-policies) - [Conflict of Interest Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/conflict-of-interest-policy) - [Commerce Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/commerce-policy) - [Coupons Privacy Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/coupons-privacy-policy) - [Coupons Terms](https://www.businessinsider.com/coupons-terms) - [Cookie Settings](https://www.businessinsider.com/legal-marijuana-states-2018-1) Company - [About Us](https://www.businessinsider.com/about-us) - [Careers](https://www.businessinsider.com/work-at-business-insider) - [Advertise With Us](https://advertising.businessinsider.com/) - [Contact Us](https://www.businessinsider.com/contact) - [News Tips](https://www.businessinsider.com/secure-news-tips) - [Company News](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/business-insider-press-room) - [Awards](https://www.businessinsider.com/awards) - [Masthead](https://www.businessinsider.com/masthead) Other - [Sitemap](https://www.businessinsider.com/sitemap/html/index.html) - [Stock quotes by finanzen.net](https://www.finanzen.net/) - [Corrections](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/corrections) - [Community Guidelines](https://www.businessinsider.com/community-guidelines) - [AI Use](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-business-insider-newsroom-uses-ai) International Editions - [AT](https://www.businessinsider.de/?IR=C) - [DE](https://www.businessinsider.de/?IR=C) - [ES](https://businessinsider.es/) - [JP](https://www.businessinsider.jp/) - [PL](https://www.businessinsider.com.pl/?IR=C) - [TW](https://www.businessinsider.tw/) [Copyright © 2026](https://www.businessinsider.com/terms) Insider Inc. 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Readable Markdown	![medical marijuana cbd hemp weed smoking joint leafly flowers cannabis cox 82](https://i.insider.com/5e97617a15ea4b7054557784?width=700) Ohio just voted to legalize marijuana. Crystal Cox/Business Insider 2023-11-09T16:15:34.503Z - Marijuana is legal for adults in 24 states and Washington, DC. Medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and DC. - Voters keep backing legal cannabis, though the drug is still federally illegal. - Ohio is the latest state to legalize recreational cannabis. [Marijuana legalization](https://www.businessinsider.com/cannabis) is spreading around the US. Ohio just became the latest state to legalize cannabis, pushing the total number of states where adults can legally consume marijuana to 24, along with Washington, DC and Guam. Last year, legalization votes failed in deep-red South Dakota, North Dakota, and Arkansas. South Dakota previously voted to legalize cannabis in 2018, but the law was struck down in court. Missouri and Maryland legalized cannabis through ballot measures in the 2022 elections, while Delaware lawmakers did so earlier this year. Cannabis is still considered an illegal drug by the US federal government. [Canada legalized marijuana federally in 2018](https://www.businessinsider.com/canada-legal-marijuana-sales-start-on-october-17-2018-10). ### See all the states where marijuana is legal: This article was published in January 2018 and has been updated with new information about where cannabis is legal. It was last updated on November 9, 2023. Melia Russell contributed to an earlier version of this story. ## Alaska ![](https://i.insider.com/5bae8c763d9ef70f318b456d?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A cannabis-testing laboratory in Santa Ana, California. AP Photo/Chris Carlson Adults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport [up to an ounce of marijuana](https://www.adn.com/alaska-marijuana/2017/05/22/the-tourists-guide-to-navigating-alaskas-legal-marijuana-market/) — roughly a sandwich bag full — for recreational use. The first pot shop [opened for business](https://www.adn.com/alaska-marijuana/2016/10/29/anticipation-builds-as-alaskas-first-marijuana-store-set-to-open-to-the-public/) in 2016. Alaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational-pot shops a destination for tourists. More than [2 million people visit Alaska](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/07/31/marijuana-alaska-tourists/506947001/) annually and spend \$2 billion. ## Arizona ![](https://i.insider.com/5f1b10a8f0f419147731467e?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Nate McDonald, General Manager of Curaleaf NY operations, talks about medical marijuana plants. AP Photo/Hans Pennink Arizona [in 2020 voted to legalize cannabis for all adults over the age of 21](https://www.businessinsider.com/arizona-legalized-cannabis-marijuana-vote-what-you-need-to-know-2020-10). The ballot measure was backed by a number of cannabis giants, including Curaleaf, Cresco, and Harvest Enterprises. The Arizona Department of Health Services began accepting applications for adult-use licenses on January 19, 2021, and approvals were issued [just three days later](https://www.azdhs.gov/licensing/marijuana/adult-use-marijuana/index.php). Sales began immediately. Arizona rolled out adult-use sales faster than any other state that voted to pass recreational cannabis in those elections. Companies already operating in the state's medical market had a first crack at recreational customers. ## California ![](https://i.insider.com/5a72486959d432270f8b4c11?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, on January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana. The law also permits adults 21 and over to buy up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrates, which are found in edibles, and grow no more than six marijuana plants per household. ## Colorado ![](https://i.insider.com/5bca1fea3762f631de2163c6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A marijuana leaf. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren In Colorado, [there were more marijuana dispensaries](http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2016/08/26/massachusetts-marijuana-mcdonalds-starbucks/) than Starbucks and McDonald's combined. The state joined Washington in becoming the first two states to fully legalize the drug in 2012. Residents and tourists over the age of 21 can buy up to 1 ounce of marijuana or 8 grams of concentrates. Some Colorado [counties and cities](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/marijuana/home-grow-laws) have passed more restrictive laws. ## Connecticut ![](https://i.insider.com/608c62dd34af8d001859a5c9?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Marijuana plants Olena Ruban/Getty Images On [June 18, 2021](https://en.as.com/en/2021/07/08/latest_news/1625704459_924256.html) the Connecticut legislature legalized cannabis for adults 21 and over and the law took effect on July 1. Recreational cannabis is now legal in the state and adults are allowed to [possess or consume up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana.](https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/key-dates-in-connecticuts-new-cannabis-legislation/2522672/) Sales aren't expected to begin until the end of 2022, [according](https://portal.ct.gov/cannabis/Knowledge-Base/Articles/What-is-in-effect-now?language=en_US) to the state's official website. ## Delaware ![](https://i.insider.com/644a9f09edc7ea0018330ea6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Getty Images; Insider In March 2023, the Delaware Senate passed a pair of bills that would legalize an adult-use cannabis market in the state. The legislation was expected to [receive pushback](https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-legalization-delaware-47f23ded696e13737fbdd82f17e02247) from Delaware Governor John Carney, who [vetoed a legalization bill in 2022.](https://apnews.com/article/health-dover-marijuana-legalization-government-and-politics-fcc67976a41183e105ffd5b1370b05be) Instead, Carney [said](https://apnews.com/article/delaware-marijuana-legalization-carney-e64e3396afa773d19f7f96add7a8e28d?taid=6442eb8327c97d00016467a7&utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter) in April that while he still has concerns about legalization, he would allow the bills to become law. [House Bill 1](https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=129970) legalizes marijuana use and possession for adults 21 and older in the state but still prohibits individuals from growing cannabis at home or consuming cannabis in public. [House Bill 2](https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=129969) creates a framework for a cannabis industry in the state and taps the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement to oversee the new market. Recreational cannabis products will have a 15% sales tax and around half of the tax revenue will be earmarked for the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which will be used to "improve quality of life for communities most impacted by the prohibition of marijuana and 'war on drugs' era policies." Stores aren't expected to open their doors until August 2024, according to [WHYY.](https://whyy.org/articles/delaware-marijuana-legalization-veto-carney/) ## Illinois ![](https://i.insider.com/5cf7da7f11e20515db6ee402?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon Illinois lawmakers in June 2019 passed a bill that legalized the possession and commercial sale of marijuana starting on January 1, 2020. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who made marijuana legalization a core component of his campaign for office, signed the bill into law. Illinois is the one of the few states to legalize marijuana sales through the state legislature, rather than a ballot initiative. ## Maine ![](https://i.insider.com/5bc61c91dff09415d5455f83?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Harvested cannabis plants at Hexo Corp.'s facilities in Gatineau, Quebec, on September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie A ballot initiative in 2016 gave Maine residents the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states. ## Maryland ![](https://i.insider.com/5d7be98f2e22af20f2350b34?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) his May 20, 2019, file photo, shows a marijuana leaf on a plant at a cannabis grow in Gardena, California. AP Photo/Richard Vogel Voters in Maryland [passed cannabis legalization](https://www.businessinsider.com/results-maryland-question-4-legalize-marijuana-usage-and-possession-2022-11) by a large margin, with over 65% in favor, in 2022. The legislation makes the purchase and possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis legal for adults over the age of 21. Adults will also be allowed to grow up to two cannabis plants at home, and the legislation will remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession of up to 2.5 ounces. In April 2023, Maryland lawmakers [finalized details](https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-power/state-government/recreational-cannabis-sales-legislation-3CTB4FNZOFCHFKUJXRZNTLT7JU/?schk=YES&rchk=YES&utm_source=The+Baltimore+Banner&utm_campaign=2c56aee9e8-NL_ALRT_20230408_1615&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2c56aee9e8-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=2c56aee9e8&mc_eid=e6438f5eb1) for the state's new recreational cannabis market. Adults 21 and older in the state are allowed to purchase cannabis from retailers as of July 1. ## Massachusetts ![](https://i.insider.com/5babe022a135a2a0788b456f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Medicinal cannabis cigarettes on July 12, 2018, at a cultivation facility in Milford, Massachusetts. Steven Senne/AP Massachusetts was the first state on the East Coast to legalize marijuana after voters approved the measure in 2016. Marijuana dispensaries opened their doors to consumers in November 2018. Adults over the age of 21 can purchase up to 1 ounce of marijuana but cannot consume it in public. ## Michigan ![](https://i.insider.com/5c2e6917bd77304d5a742679?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) The Far West Holistic Center dispensary on November 7, 2018, in Detroit. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio Voters in Michigan passed Proposition 1 in 2018, making it the first state in the Midwest to [legalize the possession and sale of marijuana](https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_Proposal_1,_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_$2018$) for adults over the age of 21. Adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, and residents can grow up to 12 plants at home. ## Missouri ![](https://i.insider.com/52e2a68fecad04903436f639?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Tomas Bravo/Reuters Missourians voted to [legalize cannabis](https://www.legalmo22.com/initiative) with over 53% in favor. Missouri's legislation allows adults over the age of 21 to possess up to three ounces of cannabis, grow six plants at home, and levies a 6% tax on recreational cannabis sales in the state. That tax revenue will be used to automatically expunge the records of nonviolent marijuana offenders in the state. In February 2023, cannabis dispensaries [began recreational sales](https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-03/legal-weed-available-missouri-recreational-marijuana-where-to-buy-kansas-city-amendment-3) in the state. ## Montana ![](https://i.insider.com/5f68cbb7323fc4001e0d779f?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A CPlant employee organizes a box of hemp for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico Montana [in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over](https://www.businessinsider.com/montana-legalized-recreational-marijuana-results-timeline-2020-10). Montana residents are officially allowed to use marijuana as of January 1, 2021. At the start of 2022, the state allowed stores to begin sales. ## Nevada ![](https://i.insider.com/5963bc62d9fccd42008b5439?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) The Essence cannabis dispensary on July 1, 2017, in Las Vegas. John Locher/AP Residents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy 1 ounce of marijuana or one-eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada. There's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents [must live 25 miles outside](http://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/jan/03/some-answers-for-your-questions-on-recreational-ma/) the nearest dispensary to be eligible for a grower's license. ## New Jersey ![](https://i.insider.com/5f4ebb7fe6ff30001d4e67e6?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A CPlant employee trims a hemp flower for export at the company's farm on the outskirts of Tala, Uruguay, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico New Jersey in 2020 voted to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, opening a market that could near \$1 billion. In February 2021, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the legalization legislation, after months of back-and-forth arguments about criminal penalties for minors possessing marijuana and the proper way to set up a licensing framework for cannabis sales in the state, among other details. Cannabis shops opened their doors in the Garden State this year. ## New Mexico ![](https://i.insider.com/5ff75fef6d61c10019cce35a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A participant in a study on the effects of cannabis, shows the marijuana flowers he has grown in his backyard, in Longmont, Colorado, U.S., December 19, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the state's legalization bill in April, after convening a special session of the legislature to hammer out the details. The law took effect June 29 — allowing state residents to possess and consume marijuana — and recreational started on April 1. ## New York ![](https://i.insider.com/60666d84902281001950ab5a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A man holds a sign at a pro-legalization rally outside of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office in Manhattan Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images After two failed attempts to legalize adult-use cannabis in New York, the state finally passed recreational marijuana on March 31, 2021. New Yorkers are now able to possess and smoke cannabis legally. ## Ohio ![](https://i.insider.com/654ce3fab788914e555324ff?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Ohioans voted in November 2023 to legalize recreational marijuana. Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo Ohio residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis in the November 2023 elections, making Ohio the latest red state to favor legalization. The law takes effect in 30 days. The state's market could be worth \$4 billion, according to [Marijuana Business Daily](https://mjbizdaily.com/ohio-votes-on-adult-use-marijuana-legalization-lawmakers-may-be-hurdle). ## Oregon ![](https://i.insider.com/5b0723651ae66230008b4cf8?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Oregon's Finest medical-marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon, on April 8, 2014. Anthony Bolante/Reuters Oregon legalized marijuana in 2015, and sales in the state started October 1 of that year. ## Rhode Island ![](https://i.insider.com/528f92826da811181a546a6b?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez Rhode Island's governor signed legal marijuana into law in May 2022. The law includes expungement of past cannabis convictions. ## Vermont ![](https://i.insider.com/5b92dd1204f16238008b5ab3?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) Cannabis plants in a laboratory. Leonhard Foeger/Reuters Vermont became the first state to [legalize marijuana through the legislature](https://www.businessinsider.com/vermont-state-senate-passes-marijuana-legalization-bill-rebukes-sessions-2018-1), rather than a ballot initiative, when Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill into law in January 2018. Adults in the Green Mountain State can carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana and grow no more than two plants for recreational use. The law went into effect in July 2018. But it was limited in scope. It didn't establish a legal market for the production and sale of the drug. In 2020, the state legislature [passed a bill](https://weedmaps.com/learn/laws-and-regulations/vermont) that would allow for adult-use sales in the state. All localities must opt-in to allow for dispensaries, however. Retail cannabis sales began in Vermont earlier this year. ## Virginia ![](https://i.insider.com/5fd8cb81dc030c001aab6a08?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) AP Photo/Steven Senne, File A majority of state legislators in Virginia approved then-Gov. Ralph Northam's suggestion to legalize the consumption, possession, and cultivation of marijuana on July 1, 2021 years earlier than the initial legislation intended. ## Washington ![](https://i.insider.com/5b3537f80f465757008b475a?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) A medical-marijuana plantation on March 21, 2017. REUTERS/Nir Elias Marijuana was legalized for recreational use in Washington in 2012. The state allows people to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana, but they must [use the drug for medicinal purposes](http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/can-i-grow-marijuana-my-own-personal-use-washington.h) to be eligible for a grower's license. ## Washington, DC ![](https://i.insider.com/59de1d2292406c21008b5b53?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp) AP Residents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2014. The bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess 2 ounces or less of marijuana and "gift" up to an ounce, if neither money [nor goods or services are exchanged](https://mpdc.dc.gov/marijuana). - [Marijuana](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/marijuana "Marijuana") - [Cannabis](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/cannabis "Cannabis") - [IBM-block](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ibm-block "IBM-block") - More - [Crystal Cox](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/crystal-cox "Crystal Cox") Read next
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